<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Spiderweb of Fate by littledarkcloud</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28006209">The Spiderweb of Fate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/littledarkcloud/pseuds/littledarkcloud'>littledarkcloud</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunter X Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Eventual Smut, F/M, First Meetings, Jealousy, Mild Gore, Mutual Pining, Possessive Behavior, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:02:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28006209</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/littledarkcloud/pseuds/littledarkcloud</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chrollo, intrigued by you and your impressive aura, persuades you to join his Spiders. But he might have an ulterior motive...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Feitan (Hunter X Hunter)/Reader, Hisoka (Hunter x Hunter)/Reader, Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer/Reader, Phinks (Hunter x Hunter)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>254</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Stranger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The first chapter of many (hopefully) in what I'd like to be a complete story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You kept a brisk pace, shouldering your way through the crowd of people in the marketplace square. Rain was falling overhead, coloring the skies a cool grey. Lightly splashing through puddles in your black boots, you had set out to retrieve something to make for dinner tonight, just for yourself, in your little apartment for one.</p>
<p>Keeping your aura present, but low (just for self-defense), you ducked into a small food shop that you knew had some seedy characters. It was worth it though, for the delicious and rare ingredients they kept in stock. You reached into your shoulder bag to retrieve your list, wandering about, feeling fruits for their ripeness and inspecting certain brands for additives. You paused, in the middle of picking up a pomegranate.</p>
<p>Your impressively sharp aura and noteworthy perception hinted to you that you were being watched. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up. Surely no one here would dare try to rob you, would they? No, for some reason, you felt as though your observer was further away. You gripped the fruit tighter in your hand, narrowing your eyes. There were only a few windows in the small shop, and they would not offer you a decent view of the outside.</p>
<p>You moved towards the propped open front door. Rainwater cascaded down from the roof in a crude, arching waterfall fashion, spilling into the gutter below. You tilted your head slightly, trying to get a glimpse outside in the most inconspicuous way you possibly could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your heart stopped. There stood a man, across the clearing, perhaps the most attractive man you’d ever seen in your life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He appeared to be unbothered by the rain, and the people walking by in the crowded pathway. His was tilted away from you, just so you saw some of his back and the side of his face. How incredible, you thought, to see someone dress like that. He wore a long, rich, gothic looking indigo coat, adorned with a sparkling golden upside-down cross that spread itself from his shoulders down to his lower back, with a mane of wild snow-white fur around the collar.</p>
<p>Seemingly sensing you as well, he turned to stare back at you. His inky black hair was slicked away from his face, revealing an intricate cross tattoo on his forehead, and two round turquoise earrings. You felt your face flush at the strong gaze of his dark grey eyes, but you didn’t look away.</p>
<p>Your intuition was telling you that not only this was your observer, but that this intense man had a darkness about him. Not a completely in-your-face darkness, no, but a darkness woven within, beneath the collected exterior. You couldn’t quite explain it, but the longer you looked, the more you almost felt that a deep confusion, or maybe, an empty sadness, was present far beneath those eyes. You shuddered, holding your ground. Whatever he was, he was certainly intimidating.</p>
<p>The man turned towards a slender woman with blond hair, dressed in a purple blazer and skirt, who had just stepped out of the shadows. They exchanged a few words before she turned to look at you as well.<br/>You immediately dropped your head to pretend to look at some foods. You tried to still your hands, which were trembling now with anxiety. Trouble with strangers was the last thing you needed.</p>
<p>Your powerful abilities could have made you a potential target, but up until now, you had been able to successfully avoid sticky situations. Now, it seemed, you had attracted some possibly unwanted attention. Weighing the options in your head, you decided to simply pay for your food and go. Should some kind of altercation break out, at least it would be in public, so you might be able to get medical attention quickly.</p>
<p>But then, you thought, his aura did not seem to be that of a man about to fight. The more you sensed it, you began to realize that it was more observant than malicious. Still, better safe than sorry. The sooner you left the marketplace, the better.</p>
<p>You quickly completed your purchase and left, ducking to avoid the cascading water at the storefront. Avoiding eye contact with everyone, your head was lowered to the ground, studying the feet passing by and trying not to get stepped on. Before you could get very far, you found your path blocked by someone in front of you, their curious black shoes adorned with two gold, raised, circular emblems.</p>
<p>"Sorry, excuse m-" You looked up, your words stopping in your throat as you found yourself face to face with your intimidating observer.<br/>Or rather, face to face with his well-maintained physique. You looked up into his handsome face. The serene expression in his features did not soothe your stirring heart.</p>
<p><br/>"Pardon me, miss, but my colleague and I couldn't help but notice the intensity of your aura, even from afar. That's some power you have." He said.<br/>"Oh, well, thank you." You gracefully offered, nodding to him politely. A blush had begun to spread itself across your cheeks, an action that did not go unnoticed by him. He chuckled softly. "I apologize for my forwardness, miss, but I would kick myself if I didn’t approach you."</p>
<p>Your blood was rushing in your ears, almost drowning him out.</p>
<p>"You see, I was wondering, perhaps, if you would be interested in making some use of your abilities." You said nothing, your mind racing. Make use? What kind of use was this mysterious monster talking about?</p>
<p>He continued, picking up on your apprehension. "Forgive me if I am overstepping, but I feel as though you may be out of place here."</p>
<p>He took a step closer to you, reaching out to gently guide you to the side of the pathway away from its bustling patrons, an action that sparked tingles across your skin. He lowered his voice.</p>
<p>"Of course, I have yet to see the full extent of your abilities, but from what I've gathered, I believe you may be capable of some incredible feats. Feats that might grant you the ability to lead a far more comfortable life, away from this…" He looked around, motioning with his head at the dirty street and drab crowd, "Kind of atmosphere." You squinted at him.</p>
<p>"What exactly are you offering?" You inquired, knowing you shouldn’t. Knowing you should run, escape back to your tiny apartment away from this dangerous man, but his almost sickening charm drew you in.</p>
<p>He gave an effortless smile. "An opportunity. If you’re interested, meet me in front of the shop by 8th, at this same time tomorrow. I'll divulge more information then." He motioned towards the street corner, at which your favorite little seedy food shop was located. You felt lost for words. Stupid, even, and annoyed, at the way you felt such intense longing creeping its way into you.<br/>"Oh my, I haven’t introduced myself, how rude of me," He added, "My name is Chrollo Lucilfer. And you are…?" You gave your name after a moment, still in a daze.<br/>"Beautiful name, for a beautiful woman" He responded, almost to himself, murmuring that last part so it was barely audible. He gave a charming smile and nodded politely. Then, just as soon as he had appeared before you, he was gone.</p>
<p>You blinked, still reeling from what had just happened. Standing by the side of the pathway, you felt your breathing quicken, your chest rising and falling rapidly.<br/>Shaking your head, you rushed your way through the crowd, back to the train station to board the speedy train that would take you home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>……….</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After dropping your keys at least three times trying to open the apartment door, you threw together a quick dinner with your newly retrieved groceries, deciding to take a shower afterwards to clear your head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You turned the knob to the shower, heaving a sigh as the pipes began to squeak and spit out water. Soaking your hair and working your fingers through with shampoo, you replayed the strange man's words in your head. "An opportunity." He had said. He didn’t say any more, you noted. He said he would explain more tomorrow. <em>Tomorrow</em>.</p>
<p>You scoffed. As if you would ever go meet up with some odd stranger just because he said he could improve your life. You frowned to yourself. Come to think of it, what did he know? What if you liked living in a more run-down part of town? What if you found it oddly charming? Besides, you thought, stranger danger is a real thing. As capable as you were, you might not be able to defend yourself against someone that strong if he tries to pull some funny business.</p>
<p>That was logic talking. The more you thought of him, his words, the more logic took a back seat. Sure, there was probably no good reason to follow him, but good god, he was a magnetic force if there ever was one. His suave demeanor, his good looks and impeccable fashion taste, not to mention his eye for your aura, had left quite the impression on you. You wrestled with your thoughts, from the time you got out of the shower until the time you rested your head on your pillow.</p>
<p>Tossing and turning in your bed, you tried to weigh the pros and cons of taking up this, "Chrollo" on his opportunity.</p>
<p>It was futile. The cons far outweighed the pros. No one in their right mind would listen to a complete stranger. But still, you felt as though something was pushing you to follow him. To learn more about him. To join him. Perhaps against your better judgement, you reached out to your nightstand to set an alarm on your phone, assuring you wouldn't sleep in and keep him waiting.</p>
<p>"Chrollo Lucilfer", what a funny name, you thought, whispering it aloud, playing with it on your tongue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night, you dreamt of dark grey eyes and endless rain.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Your Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You stared at your reflection in the mirror, taking a deep breath before heading out. Your hair was perfectly fixed and you had your most flattering clothes on. <em>Am I crazy?</em> You thought to yourself. <em>Yes</em>.</p>
<p>Grabbing a small shoulder bag packed with some money and a few snacks, you left and started towards the train station. You had no idea how long you would be out, you figured he'd probably just tell you about this "opportunity" and leave it up to you to take it or not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your right leg bounced up and down as you were seated on the train, feeling your heart start to race as it squealed to a stop in the crowded square.</p>
<p>Getting off the car and flowing with the crowd, you tried to speed up your walk, offering multiple "excuse me" s as you shoved through annoyed fellow pedestrians. There, up ahead. The man stood, his back to you, in front of the food shop on 8<sup>th</sup>. He looked just as magnificent as before. Funnily enough, the sun seemed to be shining down directly on him, creating a halo of mist from the evaporating rain. You stepped into the shelter of a nearby shop, adjusting your clothes and smoothing your hair, before walking up to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He turned toward you before you could say anything. "Ah, good to see you. I'm very pleased you decided to come." His cold eyes took you in, with that same charming smile from before. You clutched your bag tighter, almost holding on for some kind of comfort. Of course, he noticed. "Come, let's talk." Guiding you over to a less populated clearing, the both of you found space under the spread of a small shabby roof.</p>
<p>"I am a leader of thieves." He began. You swallowed. "Known to some as the Phantom Troupe, we are masters in our class. Unmatched, if you will. As a whole, we are highly skilled nen users who are able to take whatever we want without getting caught. Typically, we go after more unorthodox merchandise, but in general, whatever will give us the greatest bounty." You said nothing, meeting his intense gaze. You had never heard of this 'Phantom Troupe'.</p>
<p>He continued. "The opportunity I spoke of yesterday is not for the faint of heart. As I said before, I noticed your remarkable strength. You were able to sense my presence, my stare, from afar. I think you might make a fine addition to our team. If you would, I'd ask that you join me now to meet the others and show us some of what you can do." He nodded towards you, closing his eyes, "However, should you choose to decline my offer, I understand, and I wish you the best of luck in the future." He simply looked at you now, waiting for a response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You thought for a moment. Your life, up until now, was not particularly interesting, or that great. You took whatever job you could get, here and there, just enough to make ends meet. You were alone, mostly, maybe having a friend over now and then, but it was tricky to make good friends where you lived. Your family was far away, you rarely spoke to them. All in all, Chrollo's offer wasn’t starting to sound too bad. Except for the fact that it was criminal. You studied him.</p>
<p>"You say you never get caught?" You asked, almost shocked that you even did. You'd never been much of a lawbreaker. Chrollo nodded. "Yes. Our core members generally hail from Meteor City. Most of us have no official records, but we leave no traces regardless."</p>
<p>Pursing your lips, you turned your eyes to the ground. <em>What's the likelihood you'd get an offer like this ever again? </em>You had to admit, it wasn’t very practical to have the power that you did and barely make use of it.</p>
<p>"If you aren’t confident in your combat abilities, I have a feeling you would do exceptionally well in reconnaissance work. We could always use more help there." He continued, ever the persuasive gentleman. Reading your expression soften, your body relax a little, Chrollo sensed that he had sealed the deal. Indeed, he had. You didn’t really want to kill anyone, and it wouldn’t make much sense to put your life in danger for this peculiar man. Your true strength lied in your silence, your immovability, your observational skills.</p>
<p>"Do you have a base of operations of some kind? I'd like to see it if you do, please, just to get a clearer picture of what I'd be getting into. But I'd say I'm almost convinced. The greater the risk, the greater the reward, No?" You offered with a polite smile, scarcely believing what you had just said. Oh, well. There was no going back now.</p>
<p>"Indeed, indeed." Chrollo replied, seemingly amused at your remark. "Here, follow me." He walked ahead of you, leading you around twists and turns in back paths that spilled out into a crude kind of parking lot. You had never gone this way before. He led you through a maze of cars, towards a crumbling sidewalk, by which an expensive looking black Mercedez-Benz was parallel parked away from the others. You jokingly whistled. "Plenty more where that came from," Chrollo responded, smiling and opening the door for you. "I'll take you back to our temporary base. You'll be able to meet some of the members. Oh, but you know…" Chrollo leaned in towards you and lowered his voice.</p>
<p>"If you decline the offer and leave, after seeing the location of our base," He stared at you with a grave expression, "I'll have to kill you."</p>
<p>Your blood chilled. Chrollo laughed, "I'm only joking. I do apologize, humor was never my strong suit." You gave a nervous, forced chuckle of relief. Oh shit. Maybe you should have stayed home.</p>
<p>....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The car ride went a little less awkward than you thought it might. Chrollo gave you a brief "who's who" of the Troupe members, that you might be able to recognize some of them when you would first meet each other.</p>
<p>"Do they know I'm coming?" You asked after he had finished.</p>
<p>"Of course," Chrollo replied reassuringly, "Though some might be a bit standoffish at first. Not to worry though, I'm sure if you stayed with us long enough they would warm up to you." You nodded and looked out the window. The car had pulled in to the side of a run-down looking building with some broken windows. From what you could just barely see, there appeared to be low staircase mainly composed of dimly lit rubble inside. You squinted. This hideout didn't seem look all that different than the surrounding buildings around where you had lived. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> <em>Had he lied to you?</em> <em>Was he actually just a petty thief on the run?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He seemed to read your very thoughts. "Don't let the exterior fool you, we merely need somewhere unassuming to conduct our business." Chrollo parked the car by the sidewalk, adjacent to the building. Getting out of the car, he opened the door for you and led you to what appeared to be the entrance. He glanced back at you, giving you a comforting smile and walking with you into the heart of the building.</p>
<p>What struck you first was its sheer magnitude. The ceiling was tall, and the foyer seemed to spread out forever, eventually splitting off into what looked like a main corridor. You figured it must be an abandoned hotel or convention center of some sort. Chrollo's voice forced you out of your wonder.</p>
<p>"Spiders, gather round please." Everyone who had been eyeing you when you first walked in, casually talking amongst themselves, had immediately convened together before him. <em>What</em> <em>authority</em>, You thought to yourself.</p>
<p> "I'd like to present you with a new potential recruit." He announced, turning to you, seemingly waiting for you to introduce yourself.</p>
<p>You cleared your throat, stating your name and making it clear that you would only be doing reconnaissance work at first, if you accepted the position. The spiders said nothing, only watching you. A man with a blond bowl cut, <em>Shalnark? Was that his name?</em>  Was the only one who waved hello, in a friendly way. You shifted uncomfortably, and saw a tall blond man in a tracksuit, who must have been the one called Phinks, murmur something to a short man with black hair, presumably Feitan. Feitan snickered. A girl with big glasses and short black hair, probably Shizuku, shot Phinks a quick glare. Trying to ignore whatever just happened, you looked back to Chrollo, who placed a hand on your shoulder. The action made your heart race, and you prayed you weren’t blushing. "I'm going to be showing her around. She will come to her own decision, as to whether she will truly join us or not, by the end of our little tour. If she chooses to stay, you should all be hospitable." The Spiders shared glances with one another, a little surprised at the uncharacteristic warning tone Chrollo's usually deadpan voice took on, at that last remark.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He led you through the hallways, pointing out the kitchen, the bathrooms, laundry rooms, bedrooms, and showing you the spare room that could be yours. It confirmed what you had thought before, this was an abandoned hotel. A grimy, broken chandelier hung above the two of you as you stopped in front of a bedroom suite.</p>
<p> "This is my room," Chrollo stated, flicking his eyes to the worn bronze numbers on the old door, which appeared to be in better condition than the rest. "Look, just down the hall from yours." He leaned in closer proximity to you to point out its short distance from your would-be room, sending your heart aflame. "Should you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to knock. " He flashed a handsome smile. You returned it, instinctively, and looked at the ground.</p>
<p>"Well," Chrollo broke the beat of silence, you felt the intensity of his gaze burning right into you. "That concludes the tour. Do you find our humble home adequate?"</p>
<p>"Of course," You replied, almost instantly, your attraction to him threatening to show itself. "It's just…" Your tongue felt heavy, like it was a challenge to get the words out. You searched his cold, gray eyes for some kind of help. They offered none. He only raised his eyebrows at you, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips, "Yes?" He asked. You sighed. "Do I really have a place here? I mean, do you really think I'm all that powerful? I don't know if the other Spiders will actually like me-" He cut you off."I would not have invited you here if I didn’t feel you were strong enough. In general, inviting people here, it's not something I would ever do. But you…" He took a step back, caressing your frame with his eyes. Your blush returned. "Hmm… I can't explain it. You're different." Your heart stopped.</p>
<p>You thought it wise not to question yourself anymore, at least not in front of him. His power was very much palpable, and it was the kind of power all of the others seemed to respect, you'd noticed. If did really hold that much authority, you figured it would be good to trust his judgement. "Well, alright." You replied, your cheeks straining to force back a massive grin at the validation he gave. "So, you accept?" Chrollo asked, in his collected demeanor. You only smiled and nodded.</p>
<p>"Excellent." Chrollo replied. You noticed his stature seemed to become taller, he expanded his chest ever so slightly and moved his shoulders back. "In taking this position, I presume you have no serious ties to any other people." You nodded again, feeling a twinge of sadness at his reminder of your loneliness. Oh well, maybe you could make a good friend here.</p>
<p>"Tell me your address. I'll have Phinks collect your things." You quickly gave your address, and Chrollo hummed a confirmation, a curious glint in his eye. "In the meantime, I suggest you get acquainted with the others. They're really not all as bad as you think." He gave a sly smile and ducked his head politely, before turning and leaving you in the corridor.</p>
<p>You dug your nails in your palms. Nothing seemed quite so terrifying to you now as sparking conversation with these total strangers. <em>These totally deadly strangers</em>, You thought. Not to mention the way they just stared at you, you could hardly get a read on them, which was unusual for you. Psyching yourself up, you started towards the main foyer where they were all gathered. All you had to do was be friendly and polite. Not a problem.</p>
<p>Upon your entrance of the great space, however, you began to think Chrollo was wrong about them being, "not as bad as you think". Just like a few minutes before, all those who had been talking before you walked in, stopped, and all eyes were on you once again. No one was really smiling, except for the one you thought was Shalnark. Feeling their collective gaze practically prickle against your skin, you prepared for the worst. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Introductions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Much to your surprise, you weren’t immediately killed or eaten alive, but the silence perpetuated by the lot of you was starting to get physically uncomfortable. You needed to break it. "Hey," You offered awkwardly. "Where did Chrollo find you?" Shalnark asked, apparently cutting right to the chase. Before you could reply, the blond woman you'd seen yesterday with Chrollo spoke up. "We saw her in the back-alley marketplace near base. Chrollo said he found her 'most interesting', he said she could feel his presence when his aura was almost completely hidden."</p>
<p>A couple eyebrows were raised at this, causing you to get a little bit nervous. You'd hoped no one would challenge you. As perceptive as you were, you could tell you were outclassed here, combat-wise. They could probably tell too. "Cute, isn’t she?" The woman asked aloud, with a closed eye smile. "Oh…" You said quietly, blushing and smiling at the ground. You were starting to like this lady. "She's gorgeous!" Exclaimed Shalnark. "Ah, thanks, you're too kind." You replied, at least grateful that they were being so nice to you. "Well, it's the truth." Shalnark replied, his attention now on a cell phone in his hand, playing some kind of game.</p>
<p>"A new recon girl, huh? Let's see how long she lasts." An older looking man with a katana and a ponytail spoke up. You said nothing, evidently looking a little uncomfortable. "Relax," He assured you, "I'm only teasing. Welcome aboard." Maybe this man was only teasing, but your internal anxiety reared it's ugly head. <em>Had there been others before you? Had they ...died? Doing simple recon work?</em>  You tried to force the thoughts back, grounding yourself in the here and now. It would do no good to worry about what ifs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thankfully, the awkward tension from before had finally begun to diffuse. You struck up conversation with Shalnark and Shizuku, and Shizuku had officially pointed everyone out to you. She explained that the nice lady from before, Pakunoda, was also in the reconnaissance field. Pakunoda would likely be showing you some Troupe methods of recon, assisting you in your first few missions. After a beat of silence, it occurred to you to ask her what Phinks and Feitan had said that made her glare, during your introduction.</p>
<p> "So do you remember what Phinks murmured to Feitan, like, when I first got here? When I was introduced? I think you glared at them." She stared at you blanky in response. You began to panic a little. "It's okay if you don't remember, I was just wondering. And it's fine if you don’t wanna tell me, I get it, I'm new."</p>
<p> "Well hang on," She responded, looking upwardly at nothing, "Let me see if I can remember. Um..-" She was cut off by a strong voice that sounded off suddenly behind you.</p>
<p> "I asked him if she was really all that good, or if the boss just brought her back 'cause he wanted to show us the kind of chicks he can get." You whipped around to see Phinks holding two large duffel bags, presumably full of your belongings. "When has he ever done that?" Quipped Shalnark. "Hey, hey, chill. It’s not that serious." Phinks retorted, slightly frowning, then flashing you a grin and a wink. You looked away. "I guess I'll just go put these on your bed, M'lady." Phinks joked, smirking as he walked away into the corridor. "Ignore him." Shizuku stated simply. You gave a short laugh, taking another look at your surroundings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By now, it was around mid-afternoon. Sunlight spilled freely through the surrounding cracked glass windows, collecting in splotchy pools at your feet. As you stared at dust floating through sunbeams, the sensation of being intensely watched returned, feeling the same as it had when Chrollo first saw you. You turned your head slightly in the direction of the intensity. Tucked in the windowsill, like a cat, sat Hisoka. He held two cards between his fingers, and was shamelessly letting his eyes wander over your figure. His sharp gold pupils met yours as he licked his lips and smiled.</p>
<p>Your blood chilled and your heart began to race. He had moved out of his seated position and had now begun to slink towards you. The energy he emitted, you could not help but notice, held an overwhelming sensation of hunger. Regardless of your fear, your stood your ground. You were a Troupe member now, this was one of your cohorts. "Hello." He began upon reaching you, with a peculiar, almost sensual, voice. You cleared your throat. "Hello." You responded plainly, unsure how to react. He chuckled. "So… Chrollo goes to look for a target, and returns with a pretty little thing. How curious." He mused, tilting his head slightly, practically penetrating you with his eyes. The more you looked at him, the more you cursed yourself for finding him attractive. Like Chrollo, he too seemed capable of reading minds. The star and teardrop painted on his face warped upwards on his cheeks with his growing smile. "We can do some reconnaissance of own, if you’d like." He crooned, "We can find out more about each other…our strengths…our <em>weaknesses</em>…" He leaned in closer to you, putting a seductive emphasis on that last word. You bit the inside of your lip nervously, afraid to get burned by the fire in his gaze.</p>
<p>"Hisoka." The sound of Chrollo's voice spitting the name out like a command dragged you out of the magician's trance. He stood behind the flame-haired man, hands in his coat pockets, with an almost undetectable furrow of his brow. Hisoka pulled his eyes away from yours, rising up and turning to face his boss. "Yes?" he hummed nonchalantly. "Go with Machi and Feitan. You'll be pursuing a target on the east side of town. They will explain the details." You noticed his dealing with Hisoka was short, to the point. You thought he must not like him very much, or for some reason, is trying to keep him at a distance. "As you wish." Hisoka responded, not before giving you one last smirk over his shoulder, regretfully causing you to blush. Chrollo eyed him as he left, before moving his gaze towards you. His freezing cold gray eyes were a sharp contrast to the blazing heat of Hisoka's.</p>
<p> "You must excuse his behavior, he seems to have difficulty understanding personal boundaries." Chrollo said, in his classically even tone. "Oh, it's fine," You replied. "I'm ok dealing with that."</p>
<p>"Hmm… of course…But you shouldn’t have to be." Chrollo spoke softer now. A feeling you couldn’t put your finger on showed itself behind his cold, callous eyes. You didn’t know what to say. "Well, no matter," Chrollo began. "He won’t harass you when I'm around." You almost wanted to defend Hisoka, and say it was only weirdly intense flirting, not really harassment, but you bit your tongue. It wouldn't be wise to challenge your boss on your first, albeit unofficial, day.</p>
<p>"By the way, I'd like for you to join Pakunoda tomorrow on a kind of mock excursion, just so you can get a feel for what we do. Have you met her yet?" He asked, seemingly trying to lighten your mood. "Yes, she's very kind." You indulged him, a pleasant tone in your voice. Chrollo studied you, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "She is, isn’t she? I like that about her. It comes in handy with new recruits." You nodded. "Anyway, I need the both of you in the field at 7:15 sharp. You should get a good night's sleep tonight. That's all I wanted to let you know." He did another one of his little polite nods he liked to give you, turning and leaving you there, standing in the dusty ruins of the foyer.</p>
<p>Many of the other Spiders had cleared out by now. You figured they had gone out somewhere, or maybe some went to their rooms. Walking back to your own bedroom, you figured you would unpack and prepare for tomorrow. Paku was one of the very first people here to show you kindness, you noted, so you hoped things would continue to go smoothly with her.</p>
<p>You entered your new bedroom, closing the door behind you and studying your new private space. The room itself wasn’t really that big, as it was just a standard hotel room, but you appreciated it nonetheless. Besides, your old apartment didn’t have an attached bathroom. The thought occurred to you to christen the bathroom by taking a shower later tonight, to wash away the stressors of the day. You sighed and began to unpack and put away your things, trying to confront your own thoughts about Chrollo. It was difficult for you to tell if he reciprocated your attraction. Even if he was, would it even be appropriate to date a boss? Was he technically even an employer? It's not like there was a payroll, he just gave orders and you would all share the plunder. You smirked.</p>
<p>By the time you had finished arranging and organizing your things, it was already 5:30 PM. Your stomach growled, reminding you that amongst everything that happened, you didn’t have any actual meals besides breakfast. Making a note in your phone to inform your landlord of your move, you left your room and started down the corridor towards the kitchen. You hoped there was some food stocked in there, you didn’t bring much money to go get some. Mostly though, you wished that there would be no one else in the kitchen. Though you felt a twinge of guilt at this, you really didn’t want to talk anymore, you just needed some time to yourself to digest your current situation. Upon entering the kitchen, you found your silent wish would be unfulfilled. Standing in the corner, holding a cup of tea, was Feitan.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Mock Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As much as you really didn’t want to talk, you figured it would be rude to ignore Feitan's existence, especially considering he was right next to the fridge. You came closer and reached for the fridge door, making brief eye contact with him. You offered him a kind of awkward smile, to which he returned a half-hearted smirk. Looking inside the fridge and purveying your options, of which there were few, you chose an untouched salad. You contemplated your next actions as you reached for a clean fork on a silverware tray. You could take the food back to your room, at the risk of looking anti-social (but he didn’t seem like the social type himself), or you could sit at the empty table until one of you left. You chose the latter. It was a kind of win-win for you, because maybe he would want to be alone and leave, or he would stay and talk to you, and you could become friendly with a fellow Troupe member.</p><p>Neither one of you seemed particularly interested in starting a conversation. You were taking slow bites out of your salad, uncomfortable at the way you felt Feitan staring at you, taking quiet sips of his tea every now and then. <em>Say something, dammit</em>. You thought, not daring to look up and make eye contact. Before you could do anything, however, he spoke. "Cute girl." You had to make eye contact now, a slight blush present on your cheeks. He had pulled his scarf down to drink, and you noticed that he was quite cute himself. "Thanks, I guess." You responded, a little taken aback at the strange, random compliment. He shrugged and took another sip, continuing to ogle you with no shame. "So, what do you do here? Or, am I allowed to ask that?" You inquired lightly, desperate to shift the subject from your attractiveness. He narrowed his eyes and gave you a half smirk.</p><p> "I torture."</p><p> You slightly raised your eyebrows, trying to keep your shock hidden. <em>He's a torturer!?</em> But then, you supposed it was to be expected, after all, seeing as how they were master fighters and thieves. He gave a short, odd laugh. "You good for reconnaissance. Pretty girl. No one suspect. Easy to get information." You smiled politely, getting a bit flustered now that somehow the topic had bounced back to your physical appearance. "You have boyfriend?" His question took you by surprise. "Oh, uh-", You stammered, before he immediately interrupted, "I kill him." Upon seeing your slightly confused and distressed face, he gave another odd laugh. "I joke."</p><p>"…Well, I don't have a boyfriend." You replied, subconsciously hoping saying it out loud would somehow make Chrollo find out.</p><p>Feitan raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. "No?"</p><p>You shook your head, embarrassed. He said nothing, just continuing to stare at you. You put your head back down to finish up the last few bites of your salad. After finishing your food, you got up to put away your fork and throw out your trash. Before you left, you turned back to face Feitan. "See you around." You offered politely. He was silent.</p><p>....</p><p>You heaved a deep sigh, closing your bedroom door after coming back from the kitchen. Dragging your feet over to the closet, you took off your clothing and put on your bathrobe. As you entered the bathroom and turned the shower knob, you noticed the water did not squeak or spit out like in your apartment, but rather flowed smoothly from the showerhead. It was odd, you noted, considering that it was an abandoned hotel. The water was the perfect temperature for you to close your eyes and relax, trying to forget about all your worries and troubles. Your thoughts drifted back to Chrollo. You wondered if you could win his favor tomorrow with Paku, what you could possibly do to make him proud. He probably wouldn’t have many expectations, seeing as it was only a test run of your abilities, but still, you vowed to outdo yourself and prove your worth.</p><p>….</p><p>Your alarm forced you out of a dreamless sleep. After getting ready as fast as you could, you had a quick snack for breakfast and headed out towards the foyer to see if Pakunoda was there. She was leaning against a crumbling pillar by the front entrance, chatting with Machi. She gave you a friendly smile as you approached. Machi saw you coming and presumably said goodbye, leaving you alone with the kind lady. "Are you ready?" She asked. You nodded. She put her arm on your shoulder.</p><p>"You're nervous. Don't be, I'm sure Chrollo will be satisfied enough with what you show me today." You swallowed. <em>How could she read my exact thoughts?</em> You wondered to yourself. Paku smiled at you, a glint in her eye. "Let's walk."</p><p>The pair of you headed out of the hideout, and she began giving you a rundown of the mock mission. Chrollo had given you orders to pick out a random person of your own choosing, and find out all of their personal information, including their name, date of birth, and place of work within an hour. "Is this the kind of recon work you usually do?" You asked Paku. She laughed lightly. "Sometimes. I can typically find all that out within minutes." <em>Oh.</em> You began to feel insecure<em>.</em> Paku seemed to sense this, and began to reassure you. "Chrollo's just trying to get a feel for what you're capable of. If you can accomplish this by yourself, he'll probably have you move on to more challenging work. Of course, I'm just here to oversee." You gave a hum of confirmation. So, he <em>did</em> have this much confidence in you? Your cheeks almost got warm at the thought.</p><p>You and Pakunoda walked for a bit until you reached a small plaza in town. The two of you sat down at a little empty table in a small clearing. Paku reached inside her blazer for a cigarette and a lighter. "You smoke?" She asked, reaching for another and offering it to you. You shook your head. She put it away. "Just as well. You shouldn’t start, you're too young." She said, with a kind of sad smile on her face. You searched for a pretend target as she took a drag. It was difficult to pick someone out, everyone looked so plain, so average. You were about to pick someone at random, but just then, your gaze settled on an average looking man standing by a shop near an alleyway entrance. He was talking into a cell phone. There was nothing that would distinguish him from anyone else, based on his appearance, but something you couldn’t quite explain drew you to him. Your perception was trying to tell you something about him, but you had no idea what it could be.</p><p>You turned to Pakunoda. "Over there," You notified her in a hushed tone, pointing with your eyes towards the man. Pakunoda followed your gaze. She froze. The cigarette between her lips hung there, on the verge of falling out. Your eyebrows knitting together in concern.</p><p>"That's the target from two days ago. The one we couldn’t get to identify." She said to you in a hurried, quiet voice. You felt frozen, your mind stopped working for a moment. She quickly looked at you up and down. "Okay, this is a big chance for you. A bigger one that I'd thought you could get. Go. Make a plan and execute it. I wasn't supposed to intervene, but it looks like I'm going to have to." She glanced at the man and put her cigarette out on the table. "Get in the vicinity, lock him down, and I'll take up the rear and get what I can." You weren’t really sure exactly what she was talking about, but you tried to fill in the blanks the best you could. You supposed she wanted you to stall him, or at least, to pretend him from moving forward. You frowned and rose from your seat, trying to prevent from trembling as you stalked the target, moving behind people in front of you to get to the man. You pretended to check your phone as you got within slight earshot of him, just enough so that it didn’t look suspicious. It was hard to tell what he was saying, but you thought you heard fragments of, "have to get out of here" and "billions of jenny on the line". He hadn’t hidden himself into a nearby alleyway, which you thought was strange. Maybe he was supposed to be visible, as if he was waiting for someone. You looked up to see Paku had risen from her seat and was approaching you, staring at you intently while angling her head towards the man. You heart slammed against your ribcage and sweat began to bead on your forehead. You put your phone away and approached him from the rear. He had gotten off his phone now, and was only looking straight ahead.</p><p> "Excuse me?" You asked in a light voice, tapping his shoulder. He turned towards you, his brow furrowed. You tried to look as much like a helpless maiden as you could. Feitan's words from the kitchen echoed in your head, <em>"Pretty girl. No one suspect."</em></p><p>"Do you know how I can get to the train station?" You asked, putting on your best, 'I'm a lost, scared, girl' eyes. Your nefarious aura and manipulative energy was completely concealed, your own personal strength taking the forefront, hidden beneath the ruse of helplessness. The man studied you for a second, before looking out ahead one last time. He turned back towards you and sighed. "If you take a left around this bend, there's a sign that said 7<sup>th</sup> at the corner. Take a right at that corner and the station should be straight ahead. There's a big sign, you can’t miss it." The entire time he was talking, Pakunoda was behind him, hidden expertly in the shadows. She was touching him and he wasn’t even aware, the back of her hand between his shoulders. You thanked the man politely and began to walk using the directions he suggested, naturally, to secure the act. Paku joined you after a few paces, of course, just to be safe and reduce any likely already non-existent suspicion from the public. The two of you walked in relative silence until you were far enough away from the plaza, headed back to base. She turned to you and grinned. You returned her grin, slightly confused, hoping you had done a good enough job. You hadn’t really done what Chrollo wanted, like finding out his name or occupation, or anything like that. <em>She actually did most of the work</em>, You thought. "This is certainly something." She finally said to you, excitement audible in her voice.</p><p>"What? But, I mean, what did I do?" You asked. She furrowed her brow at your question. You continued. "I mean, I couldn’t get his name or occupation. I mean if I can’t be good enough to do that, I'll be kicked out. I already told my landlord about my move, I don’t have anywhere to go, I…" Your mind raced with your nerves, your heart starting to beat fast again. Paku laughed, putting her arm around you again as the both of you walked. "You worry too much. What you did for us today was better than anything I could have predicted. I know Chrollo will be impressed." You said nothing, still unsure that would really be the case. All you'd done was distract a man while Paku was the one gathering information, nothing more. She somehow knew what you were thinking, stopping and turning you towards her, her hands on your shoulders. "You don't know my ability, do you?" You shook your head. "I can read people's minds, see their memories, just by touching them." You blushed. She continued. "It's true, you didn’t complete the objective you were supposed to, you failed to gather information about him, but this was an exceptional case." She removed her hands from your shoulders to lean back and study you. "That man," She stated, "Was on our target list for at least two weeks. The firm he works for is a big one for us, they could lead us to some serious loot." She looked around before getting a bit closer to you, her voice a little quieter now.</p><p>"They always switch their men around, the ones they have standing outside to meet up with, to make deals with. They're tricky to spot, and you found one. Somehow, you found one. It would’ve been impossible for you to get his name and all that, unless you had power like mine, so the fact that you were even able to pick him out is remarkable. If your perception is really that good, and you can put on a convincing enough act to cover for me like that in the future, especially under that kind of pressure... " She trailed off, a smile on her face. You fought back your own excited smile, not wanting to seem like a giddy idiot at her praise. "Come." She urged you, as you both quickened your pace to reach the hideout. "Huh... Some girl you picked out, Chrollo, some girl…" She mused, seemingly to herself.</p><p>As the pair of you reached the entrance, she stopped once more to turn and face you. "If you don’t mind, I'd like to tell him how it went, inform him of the details." You nodded fervently, not wanting to intrude in anything you didn’t need to know about. She checked her watch. "Stay in the foyer, we'll come out to talk with you when we're finished." She entered the building first as you followed behind. She separated from you, striding off into the shadows into the main corridor as you were left standing idly in the foyer, gazing through the windows flooded with morning sunlight. You could not fight back a smile now, amusing yourself with thoughts what was to come.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Your Ability</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You were lost in your own head, indulging yourself in imagining praise from Chrollo, hoping that now you could finally warm up those cold gray eyes.</p><p>The sound of Pakunoda's heels clicking on the dusty stone foyer floor forced you out of your fantasies. You stood tall, turning towards the direction of her footsteps. She had entered the foyer with Chrollo by her side, his long indigo coat barely brushing the ground, sweeping by his feet as he walked towards you. You tried to calm your nerves as you watched them approach you, finding yourself making eye contact with Chrollo. As usual, he was difficult to read.</p><p>"Pakunoda tells me of your accomplishment." He began, after coming to a stop in front of you. You glanced at Paku quickly, and she gave you a smile and a wink. You felt a little soothed at her actions. "I know my recruits are well-suited for their positions, but this is impressive. I don't recall ever having someone so new and yet… so adaptable."</p><p>You smiled. "Your praise means a lot, boss." You offered, bowing your head down a little bit. He and Paku chuckled.</p><p>"Yes, well, there will plenty more opportunities for you to demonstrate your adaptability. In the meantime, I’d like for you to talk with me privately about your process today. Specifically, I'd like for you to explain how you were able to pick that man out under such pressure, I want to know what went through your mind." He glanced briefly at Paku, then you, with a kind of small smile. "The lovely Pakunoda has graced me with her telling, but I would be fascinated to hear how it happened from your perspective."</p><p>You nodded, not sure if you could even speak. Being alone again with Chrollo, even just the idea, drove you crazy. Your attraction to him had been building up your whole time here.  Chrollo tilted his head to study you, before leaving you with a parting sentence. "Come to my room around one o'clock this afternoon, assuming you're able?" He raised his eyebrows at you in question. Both of you knew he wasn’t really asking. It was an order. "Yes, of course, boss." You replied. He smiled at you and Paku, and then he left, disappearing into the dark main corridor.</p><p>"You'll be alright, kid." Paku said with a smirk, patting your shoulder. She gave you once last glance over before turning away and walking off.</p><p>….</p><p>You'd gone back to your own room, and you were sitting on your bed, swinging your feet back and forth anxiously as you awaited your one o'clock meeting. You checked your phone. <em>12:50</em>. After your scouting with Paku, which had only really taken about 45 minutes, you were left with plenty of free time. Of course, you'd spent most of it aimlessly pacing in your room, getting nervous at the thought of being with Chrollo alone. You rose from your spot on the bed and checked yourself in the mirror. Fixing your hair and smoothing out your clothes, you contemplated what exactly you wanted to say to him. <em>Should I be formal? How formal is too formal?</em> <em>What if I sound like an idiot?</em> You sighed out loud, trying to quiet the unhelpful thoughts that had wormed their way into your brain. You figured you should just try to tell him exactly what happened as it occurred. You frowned. <em>How did it happen, though? </em>All you could remember was just getting a nagging feeling that the man was an important target. You figured if that was the case, it would probably be best to just be honest, not make up some elaborate lie to make yourself seem like some kind of super-genius sleuth.</p><p>Giving yourself one final once-over in the mirror, you allowed yourself a little grin. You'd been wearing a flirty little skirt with some boots that accentuated your legs, as well as a top that didn’t show <em>too</em> much, but just enough. This, of course, was done on purpose to drive home that "innocent girl" reconnaissance farce. You hoped and prayed Chrollo noticed your flirty attire, or cared.</p><p>The walk to Chrollo's room, which was only just down the hall, felt like it took years. Every step you took sent a flurry of nerves up and down your spine, the butterflies in your stomach felt like they were spilling up into your throat. You stopped in front of his door, staring at your warped reflection in the tiny bronze plaque of worn numbers. You took a deep breath and gave two quick, soft knocks. "Come in." Chrollo's voice sounded in response. Your trembling fingers turned the knob and opened the door.</p><p>Chrollo was seated on the edge of his bed, one leg crossed over the other, ankle on knee. He was holding what appeared to be a very old, thick, book, which he had now closed and put down upon your entrance.</p><p>"You're shaking. Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes flicking from yours, down to your hands, and back up to gaze into you again. You instinctively clasped your fingers together, as if to hide them. "Oh, yes, I'm fine."</p><p>"Hm." He said in response, as if he didn’t believe you.</p><p>In truth, of course you were nervous. As embarrassing as it was to admit, you still found Chrollo very intimidating, just as intimidating as he was the first day you saw him in the rainy marketplace. He rose to accept you. You could have sworn you saw him steal a glance at your legs, unless you were imagining it. You felt a blush settle in the apples of your cheeks. Chrollo walked over to the center dresser, on which sat two beautiful crystalline glasses. "Drink?" Chrollo asked, raising a clear pitcher of water. "Yes, please." You responded, your eyes drifting from him to take in the expansive suite. If the rest of the hotel was decrepit, you wouldn’t be able to tell from being in his room. The king-sized bed was outfitted with stunning black silk sheets, long black drapes hung elegantly from the windows, and you noticed two tall lit wax candles were dripping onto a silver plate atop a vast, ornate bookshelf. Chrollo followed your wandering gaze. "You like what I've done with the space?"</p><p>You laughed politely. "It’s very beautiful, boss."</p><p>He handed you your glass of water. "Just between me and you," He said, leaning in a little closer, "You don’t have to call me boss, if you’d like. Chrollo is fine." You nodded, your heart racing at his close proximity. "It's very beautiful, Chrollo." You corrected yourself. He took a sip of his own drink, smiling into the glass. Saying the name out loud, in front of him, it almost felt inappropriate to say. It was almost too intimate.</p><p>Chrollo had brought out two chairs from next to the wardrobe, swinging one around for you to take a seat facing him. He sat down and placed his glass down, leaning forward in his chair to study you. "So," he began, "Tell me about your experience with Pakunoda. Did you like working with her?" You nodded.</p><p>"Good, good."</p><p>Neither one of you said anything for a moment, he simply studied you.</p><p>"It’s important to me that you feel comfortable here. Especially after hearing of what you did, it's imperative for you to feel like you belong."</p><p>"Of course, bo-Chrollo." You replied, feeling lightheaded from his words. "My experience with her, it was great." You paused. He gazed at you, unblinking. "I think I know what you want to hear," You continued, "but I'm not sure if I can be much help. You see, all I can remember… is…" You stopped then, staring at your hands clutching the glass.</p><p>"Take your time." Chrollo said gently.</p><p>"All I can remember is just, using my intuition. It was so strong, it was just telling me there was something about that man. That he was curious, or important, somehow…that's all. It was really just so random, I wasn’t even thinking." You looked up at him now, feeling a little braver from his reassurance.</p><p>Chrollo gave a side smile, cocking an eyebrow. "Have you ever considered that not thinking can be a strength?" You said nothing, not exactly following.</p><p> "Machi, another one of our members, who I'm sure you've already seen, has a similar strength to yours. She gets 'hunches', almost like a foresight ability. The active process of thought is not present. She merely listens to…Well, I'm not sure of where it comes from. It seems to be a gift, similar to yours. It has nothing to do with rationality or logic, and yet it's saved out skins many times." He reached out a hand to take yours, gently swiping his thumb on the back of your hand.</p><p>"Thank you for being honest with me. I believe you have a very bright future with us."</p><p>Your heart felt like it was going to burst through your chest. Chrollo rose from his chair, slowly letting go of your hand. "It's nearly lunchtime. I'd like to take you out, if you’d let me. My treat."</p><p>"I’d love to." You were surprised you could even get the words out. He gave a small, charming smile.</p><p>"Excellent."</p><p>You'd stood up now too, putting your glass of water on the center dresser. He moved towards the door to open it for you. Your bodies were close together and your blush intensified. He leaned in to turn the knob for you, his nose practically touching yours. All you could see was dark, gray, his eyes swallowing you whole. "Give me thirty minutes, I'll come collect you outside your door." He said in a low tone. You gulped and nodded rapidly. He smirked as you turned and left.</p><p>You felt lighter than air walking down the hall, high off of the prospect of Chrollo's satisfaction. You didn’t want to go to your room quite yet, you thought you might want to make quick conversation with Machi about your recon work, and maybe get her opinion. Figuring you might find her in the main foyer, you headed for that direction. You spotted her leaning against a windowsill, talking with Paku. Feitan and Phinks were split off in another corner, in group conversation with Franklin, Nobunaga, and Uvogin. You also spotted Hisoka, who was by himself, as usual, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, closing his eyes in contemplation. As you made your way over to Machi, you heard your name in her conversation. You paused, deciding it might be strange to walk in while you were just being talked about. It would also be rude to eavesdrop, you figured, but then…what they didn’t know wouldn't hurt them. Besides, you wanted to know how they really felt about you, your being here, when Chrollo wasn’t around. Stealthily leaning against a pillar so you were just out of view, but only just within earshot, you concealed your aura and strained to hear what she was saying.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Espionage and Its Consequences</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Machi's voice was lowered, and had a slightly grave quality. "How can Chrollo trust her?" She grumbled to Pakunoda. "We haven’t even seen her fight. Now she's got some kind of weird, all knowing, sensing ability? I don't like this. Not one bit." She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, leaning up against the wall. The ember of Pakunoda's cigarette flared with the gust of air she pushed out in a laugh.</p>
<p>"You didn’t see her out there, Machi. She knew what she was doing, even if she wasn’t fully aware of it. I could tell." Machi opened one eye, cocking an eyebrow, apparently unconvinced. Pakunoda shook her head. "All I'm saying is, this is one time you should really trust the boss' judgement."</p>
<p>Machi scoffed.</p>
<p>"Anyway, don't you remember? We don't need another fighter, we need more recon. I can only do so much with my ability. With her help, why we could…" Paku paused, now holding her cigarette between her fingers. She looked up at the ceiling, daydreaming about the things she thought the pair of you could achieve.</p>
<p>"Look, all I'm saying is, I'll trust what I see." Machi stated matter-of-factly, clearly solid in her views.</p>
<p>"Trust what you <em>see?"</em> Pakunoda asked. "You? You, who influences the decisions in our important missions based on <em>suspicions and foresight?</em>" She flicked her cigarette on the floor, stomping and rubbing it with the toe of her shoe for good measure. She paused to study Machi with a wily grin. "You know, Machi, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."</p>
<p>Machi uncrossed her arms to put her hands on her hips. "I'm NOT jealous, Paku, I'm being reasonable."</p>
<p>Pakunoda rolled her eyes. "Well. You can be whatever you'd like, I'm going out." She turned to leave, glancing at Machi over her shoulder. "I'd ask you to join me, but I think this conversation has been exhausted." Machi frowned and rushed to catch up to her, their chattering voices fading and echoing in the foyer.</p>
<p>You stood by the pillar, trying to digest what you had just heard. <em>Machi doesn't trust me</em>? You thought on this for a second, admittedly a little heartbroken. But then, you considered that her view was fair. She hadn't really seen what you could do. Would you have a different opinion if you were in her shoes? From what you'd heard, she seemed to you like the more standoffish, low tolerance for BS type anyway. You clenched your fists, feeling a surge of determination course through you. More than anything, you wanted to prove your worth. You wanted to show her, and others who'd probably thought it but hadn't said anything, that Chrollo chose you for a reason. His and Pakunoda's words alone had convinced you of this, when you scarcely believed it yourself.</p>
<p>Using your nen to silence your footsteps, you stalked around the foyer, ducking behind pillars to get closer to Phinks and Feitan. Your curiosity was now piqued by what you'd heard Machi say, so naturally, you were curious if they were talking about you too. You felt a little embarrassed of yourself doing this, but it's not like you'd be able to find out what they thought any other way. You crouched behind a crumbled support beam, facing the men's backs. You narrowed your eyes and concentrated on Phinks' voice.</p>
<p>"-It's like I said, we'll just have to wait and see. You know how it is with the boss."</p>
<p>"You no believe that." Feitan had replied quietly. Phinks turned to shoot him a glare. "You know I wasn't being serious yesterday, right?" He asked.</p>
<p>"You were. Underneath." Feitan responded. Phinks laughed sarcastically. "Whatever. A babe like that wouldn’t want anything to do with Chrollo. I can tell. She'd be all over me if he would just leave her alone for a minute."</p>
<p>You felt your face burning, your nails gripping tighter into the worn out old beam. Nobunaga scoffed at Phinks' remark, while Franklin and Uvogin exchanged a glance.</p>
<p>Feitan chuckled. "No. She no like guys like you. She like guys like me and boss. I have better chance."</p>
<p>Uvo groaned. "You two have your dumb argument over a girl, you guys sound like little kids. I'm leaving." Nobunaga and Franklin seemed to feel the same, the three of them splitting off and moving towards the outside entrance. Feitan and Phinks didn't care, though, now wholly involved in their little spat.</p>
<p>"The hell do you mean, 'guys like me'? You mean guys who wear all black and do the whole creepy look? Yeah, right. Honestly, did we even see the same chick?" Phinks retorted, his shoulders flexing, and his hands in his pockets.</p>
<p>Feitan smiled, you could see it in his eyes, even though his scarf covered his mouth. "Her face turn red when I talk to her."</p>
<p>Phinks grumbled. "So what, she's a little shy. Doesn't mean she likes you." He squinted at Feitan. You thought you could almost see an idea forming behind his eyes. "How about a bet? To see which one of us can get her first." He asked, a mischievous smirk on his face.</p>
<p>You felt like you were about to faint, it took every ounce of concentration to stay hidden and not collapse.</p>
<p>Feitan kept his smile. "Ok. But you lose." Phinks grinned in return. "I won't. Just to show you how confident I am, I'll give you my entire share of future spoils from the next three missions." Feitan raised his eyebrows. "If I lose, I give you five shares." Phinks extended his hand. "Deal." They shook on it, your eyes widening in shock as you watched. <em>What the hell..?</em></p>
<p>Just then, Hisoka's voice sounded from across the way.</p>
<p> "Wait." He commanded. He moved from his space against the windowsill to walk towards the two men. Phinks frowned. "What do you want, clown?" He asked, an edge to his already rough voice. Hisoka stopped in front of them and smiled. "I want in."</p>
<p>Your stomach dropped.</p>
<p>Phinks and Feitan looked at each other, then burst out in laughter. Hisoka, however, did not appear amused, his cards swiftly moving between his fingers as he closed his eyes. "You?" Phinks cried. "Now tell me what a girl could see in you." Hisoka opened and narrowed his eyes, their laughter fading. There was a tangible tension in the air now. "I'll put forth all my future shares." He stated. They were silent for a moment.</p>
<p>Feitan met his narrow-eyed gaze, "Ok."</p>
<p>Phinks growled, "Fine." He shook hands with Hisoka, and Feitan did the same. Phinks and Feitan turned and walked by your direction. "Dumbass just threw away all his money. There's no way in hell she'd go with a guy like that." Phinks murmured to a snickering Feitan. You watched the two of them leave as you continued to crouch behind the support beam, trying to get a grasp on what just happened. Hisoka simply stood there though, moving his cards around his hand.</p>
<p>He stopped and stilled his cards. "You can come out now."</p>
<p>Every part of your body seemed to completely freeze. There was no one else in the foyer now, of course he was talking to you.<em> Of course</em>. You remembered Shizuku talking about how strong he was, how mysterious he was, when she'd first pointed everyone out to you. Of course he'd know you were hiding. <em>Stupid</em>. You cursed yourself, somehow getting your body to move from out behind the beam.</p>
<p>He tilted his head slightly to look at you, smiling as you felt his eyes take in you and your flirty attire. "Oh my, and to think, he wants this all to himself." You knew he was probably referring to Phinks, but your heart desperately wished he was referring to Chrollo. "How can such a brute appreciate a delicacy such as this." He murmured, briefly extending a hand towards you.</p>
<p>You felt your eyes turn down to study it. The long, sharp fingernails. The strong fingers connected to the broad, veiny hands that connected to the powerful, muscular forearms. You felt your lip quiver. You wondered how many people those hands had killed; how much damage had been dealt by those hands, and yet here they were, reaching out to softly caress you. The juxtaposition almost made you chuckle. You wondered if Chrollo had killed with his hands too, with the same hands he'd offered you a drink with, the same hands he'd opened the door for you with. He probably had.</p>
<p>Your thoughts of Chrollo were silenced as you extended a hand to touch his, your finger brushing his gently. You could practically hear your heart beating in your ears. He took a step towards you, and your senses came rushing back. You stumbled backwards quickly, the soft smile on his face fading into an expression of concern.</p>
<p>"I-I can't." You stammered, quickly turning away from him and rushing back towards your room. You felt the start of tears prick at your eyes, blurring your vision. <em>Why the hell am I crying?</em> You thought, fat drops falling onto the dusty floor as you hurried down the corridor, reaching your room and immediately slamming the door behind you. <em>Shit</em>. You didn’t want Chrollo to see you like this, he would be here any minute. You quickly cleaned up your face in the bathroom.</p>
<p>If you were being honest with yourself, you knew why you'd cried. The shock at seeing the wager that was just placed, the sudden massive change in your lifestyle. Somehow, Hisoka had triggered your full realization of this with a simple touch.<em> Hisoka, him too. </em>It hurt to admit your attraction to him, as well. It almost felt like you were being untrue to Chrollo. Your heart ached. <em>He deserves better than me</em>, you said to yourself, as you heard him knock on your door. You moved towards it, about to turn the knob.</p>
<p>You wondered if you should tell him about the bet.</p>
<p>You wondered if you should tell him about Hisoka's advances.</p>
<p><em>No. That would only distress him more. He doesn’t need any more trouble</em>. <em>Not to mention, if he reprimands them, it'd probably get out that I was listening in on other's conversations. </em>You sighed and tried to fix your face for Chrollo, opening the door.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Lunch with Lucilfer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Whatever you tried to do to fix your face for him, it didn’t work.</p>
<p>"Are you feeling quite alright?" He asked. "Yes, I'm fine." You responded. You could tell he didn't really believe you, but thankfully, he said nothing.</p>
<p>You noticed he had changed out of his usual long coat into more casual clothing, in this case, a button-down dress shirt with a plain shirt underneath. He did keep his usual dark pants though. You figured he didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention, as he'd also let his usually slicked back hair down, though he didn’t cover his forehead tattoo. "Ready?" He asked, extending his elbow for you to take. Touching his arm sent every one of your nerves aflame. You could practically feel the strength in his firm forearm as you met his pace down the hall.</p>
<p>Chrollo explained to you on the way that he would take you to a local café, one that had an item on the menu that needed to be ordered specially. The entire time he was talking, you felt as though you were under some kind of spell or enchantment. Your heart swelled when he spoke, and you internally yearned to ask him if he felt the same as you. He must have, right? Unless he'd only asked you out to be friendly. You certainly hoped not, otherwise it would be incredibly difficult to go about your days as a member of the Spider, seeing the face and following the orders of the one you fantasized about all day about, without being able to do anything.</p>
<p>The café he took you to looked a bit higher end than those in its perimeter, which surprised you, considering it was within walking distance of the run-down old hideout. A waiter seated the pair of you and brought menus, which Chrollo refused. He ordered something you'd never heard of, at which the waiter nodded and hurried off.</p>
<p>A moment of silence passed between the two of you before he spoke. "I understand if you're feeling uncomfortable."</p>
<p>You raised your head up from your empty plate, which you'd been staring at, to meet the strong gaze of his grey eyes. You said nothing, it would be useless to have an excuse at this point, it was evident he could see right through you.</p>
<p>"Considering things from your perspective, your life has essentially been completely uprooted. I wish there was something I could do to take away your feelings of discomfort, but I am aware that’s a personal process. My only hope is you feel more at ease with us soon." You felt a twinge of pain in your heart. Of course, he continued to think you looked uneasy because he thought you might feel unwelcome, but now you were only incredibly uneasy over the events that had just transpired in the foyer. There was nothing you could say.</p>
<p>"However," He began, a smile forming on the edges of his lips, "I believe I have something for you that might speed up the process." He quickly checked his surroundings before reaching a hand into his pocket, removing a sizeable stack of jenny secured in a paper band. Your eyes widened in shock. You'd never seen that much money in cash before. He reached for your hand across the table, caressing it with his fingers and placing it on the money. "This is only <em>part</em> of your share from that excursion which you so successfully aided us in. I can give you the rest when the final deal is secured". Your mouth practically watered at the sight, combined with the fact that Chrollo had just lovingly stroked your hand. You looked up at him, suddenly remembering your role in the operation.</p>
<p>"Wasn't that just a test, though? I mean, do I really deserve all this?" You asked. His usually expressionless face took on the slightest furrow of the brow, so slight that if you weren’t intently studying his features you might not have noticed it.</p>
<p> "Deserve?" He repeated. You began to get nervous. He removed his hand from its placement on yours, taking the money and placing it back in his pocket.</p>
<p>"Your spoils have nothing to do with deservedness. They have to do with the simple fact that you successfully executed a mission, and reaped the rewards as a result. Indeed, it may have been a mere test, but the results are real enough themselves." He sighed and closed his eyes, before opening them to look at you with a softer expression. "It hurts me to hear you speak like that. If you are going to stay with us, you must have more confidence in my choices. You must try, at the very least." His words touched you and almost broke your heart. He was right. There was no room for weakness in the Spider. You needed to have the utmost confidence in the things he decided to do with you. You nodded at him, and he must have seen the spark of determination in your eyes, as he gave you a smile and leaned back in his chair. "Good."</p>
<p>The waiter had returned now with two plates of what appeared to be regular sandwiches. You looked at Chrollo with a curious expression, as if to ask what about a sandwich had to be so specially ordered. He glanced back at you with a knowing twinkle in his eye. "It's in the seasoning, and the way in which it's used in the sandwich." He replied, motioning for you to take a bite. The flavor was unlike anything you'd had before, exquisite and savory on a new level. You figured it must be something that very exclusive and expensive, considering what you had seen so far of Chrollo's personal tastes.</p>
<p>After the two of you had finished your meal, you decided to take the opportunity to properly convey your determination. "Chrollo, for my next mission, do you think it would be possible for you to pair me with Machi?" You asked hesitantly. You thought maybe it was an inappropriate question to ask, that you shouldn't try to influence his decisions in any way.</p>
<p>"Hmm. I suppose, why not. Are you becoming friends with her?" He inquired politely. This gave you some relief, he seemed not to mind.</p>
<p>"I'd like to be."</p>
<p>He nodded and smiled. "It does me good to know that." You felt a smile of your own grow in response to his words. "Ah! you see, I knew you would get warmed up to your new partners." You giggled and looked down, feeling the weight of his gaze.</p>
<p>After Chrollo had paid for the meal, and as the two of you had walked back to the base, it again occurred to you many times to tell him about the wager, or about Hisoka. You began to feel that the repercussions to come from others finding out you eavesdropped would be nothing compared to the discomfort of being caught between Hisoka, Phinks, and Feitan. Try as you might, however, you could not express your newfound conclusion to Chrollo. Your mouth refused to form the words, as if some invisible force was preventing you from telling him.</p>
<p>Upon reaching the hideout, you thanked Chrollo for the meal and immediately headed to your room. You decided that the easiest way to avoid awkward interactions with your new potential suitors was to limit your time spent in the foyer and kitchen, at least during the day. Heaving a sigh and collapsing on your bed, you buried your head in your hands. At least you had something else to focus your energy on, namely, proving to Machi that you could pull your weight. Just then, you heard a knock on your door. Your stomach dropped. <em>That had better not be Hisoka.</em> You thought, rising off your bed and crossing the room to tentatively reach for the knob. You peered through the peephole in the door to see a shock of bright pink hair in a ponytail, and opened the door to see Machi lean against the doorframe with her arms crossed.</p>
<p>"Hi!" You greeted her in a friendly tone. She gave you a cute half-smirk in return. "Hey. Chrollo just came by and told me we're going on a scouting mission the day after tomorrow. Oh-nine-hundred. I'll be out by the front entrance, be there or be square." You nodded in response, as she gave you a quick once-over with her eyes and headed away down the hall.</p>
<p><em>That was quick</em>. Chrollo had set you up with her almost immediately after you'd asked. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it occurred to you that Chrollo seemed to be making you a priority. <em>Hm…maybe…</em> You thought, kicking off your boots and putting in your earbuds to listen to some music. You ended up piddling the rest of the day away until the evening, where after you’d managed to get some food from the kitchen without being seen, you got some well-deserved rest.</p>
<p>....</p>
<p>The following morning and early afternoon, you began to find that your plan of staying mostly in your room was easier in theory than in practice. While you had a cell phone and internet connection, there was only so much you could do, and it was starting to get a little boring. You decided to venture out to the foyer in hopes of seeing Shizuku or Paku, to maybe chat a little and hang out. Besides, you figured, the likelihood that you would run into all three of <em>those</em> men couldn’t be that high. Even if you did, you would immediately make up some excuse and retreat to your room, you told yourself. You left your room, silently shutting the door behind you and slinking down to the foyer, in hopes of remaining unheard and unseen by any undesirables.</p>
<p>Much to your delight, you saw Shizuku in the foyer alone, reading a book. You felt a little awkward, not wanting to disturb her reading, but if you randomly left now it might look weird. She raised her head as you approached, giving you a friendly smile before flicking her eyes down to the pages.</p>
<p>"Hey," You began casually. "Sorry, if I'm your interrupting your reading."</p>
<p>"No worries," She replied, shutting the book. "It was starting to get kinda lame anyways. What's up?"</p>
<p>"Not much, just wandering around. How 'bout you?" You asked, a little embarrassed to admit you just wanted to hang out with her.</p>
<p>"I'm just waiting for Phinks and Feitan to come back. They were gonna brief me on some intel they picked up after completing something for the boss."</p>
<p>"Oh, cool." You replied, hoping the strained edge in your voice wasn’t too obvious. It apparently was however, because she shot you a bit of a concerned look. She was about to say something, before you heard a loud distinctive voice approaching from the main corridor.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was craving panera bread when I wrote the lunch scene lol &gt;:3c and parts of it were a little call back to my first fanfic self-assured heh heh</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Kiss of Shame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"His head was spinning like a goddamn pinwheel!" The loud voice cried, followed by boisterous laughter. "He looked like a fucking toy!" You knew who that voice belonged to. You felt your palms get clammy as you watched Phinks turn the corner into the foyer, followed by Feitan, to whom he was talking. Feitan had an amused look in his eyes, which morphed into something a bit more diabolical as he set his vision on you. Phinks' laughter faltered as he followed Feitan's stare. Phinks smirked at you from across the way, his eyes darkening. To feel both of them stare at you like that made you shudder.</p>
<p>Shizuku frowned as they crossed the space to approach the both of you. "Hello, ladies." Phinks began, briefly nodding to Shizuku, and then proceeding to devour you with his eyes.</p>
<p>"Hello." Shizuku responded, an annoyed edge to her voice. You couldn’t say hello back, you were totally frozen. A moment passed where neither Phinks or Feitan said anything, which seemed to tick off Shizuku even more. "So, how about that intel?" She asked sharply.</p>
<p>"Not to worry. Nothing too hard. Easy job this time, target is like sitting duck." Feitan replied, flitting his eyes from you to Shizuku, eyes that indicated he wore a confident, sly smile beneath the scarf.</p>
<p>"Well, guess I'll see you around." You said to Shizuku, eager to excuse yourself from the situation in any way possible. You were about to walk out when Shizuku stopped you. "Hey, not so fast!" She told you, reaching out to touch your shoulder. You turned, feeling your heartbeat in your throat.</p>
<p>"Don't let these guys scare you off." She turned from looking at you to address the two men. "Hey Phinks, Fei, don’t look at her like she's a piece of meat, alright? She's probably overwhelmed enough as is." You felt a wave of relief wash over you at her defensive behavior, but you still wanted to get out of there.</p>
<p>"She not meat. She is sweet. Like cake." Feitan retorted, in what must have been a painful attempt at flirting. His gaze dropped to your hips, as if his choice of the word 'cake' had another meaning. You felt your face flush.</p>
<p>Phinks roared with laughter. "God, Fei, you must be drowning in it!" He wheezed between gasps for air. Shizuku remained unamused. You turned to her and made a cutting motion to your neck, as though she should just let it go. She respected your decision, letting go of your shoulder and giving you a supportive look. Phinks cleared his throat. "Don't worry about it, Shizuku. I'm sure this young lady got plenty worse back home. I mean, look at her." He placed his hands on his hips and leaned back to get a better look. You wanted to disappear. "She must've been quite the heartbreaker." </p>
<p>If you'd been studying Feitan, you would have noticed his eyes narrow, as if he believed he was losing ground to Phinks. "What makes you think you any different?" He said, clearly speaking to Phinks, but his gaze fixed on you. "She eat your heart as well."</p>
<p>That guilt you felt being attracted to Hisoka had returned, this time in the form of being attracted to Feitan. You believed Phinks was being too heavy-handed, and it was off-putting. Feitan, however, seemed to have some respect for your strength, your personal integrity. You allowed the slightest smile to show. Something in Feitan's eyes had changed, as you looked deeper into them, you could tell he thought he'd already won.</p>
<p>"Hah." Phinks sounded in response. "You wish." He raised his eyebrows. "You wouldn't break my heart, would you baby?" He asked you, in an almost mocking tone. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Shizuku's usually unbothered expression show something of a glower. You could tell her patience was starting to run out, even though you told her you could handle their advances. You figured she probably wanted to know more details about the intel they picked up anyway.</p>
<p>"Who's to say," You responded with a vague answer, seeking a way out. "I guess it would depend on what kind of guy you are." With that, you took your leave, but not before Feitan reached out to grab your wrist. You turned, embarrassingly aroused at the strength of his grip.</p>
<p>"Come meet me tonight. Back entrance at 7 P.M." He murmured lowly to you. Phinks certainly heard, as a furrow in his brow started to form. You said nothing in return, nodding shyly and breaking free of his grasp, hearing the bickering start between Phinks, Fei, and Shizuku as you left.</p>
<p>Back in your room, you struggled terribly with what a decision on what to do. Feitan's demeanor and appearance were highly attractive to you, but you didn't know if that meant you should pursue him, romantically speaking. Still, of course, there was also the situation with Chrollo. As you began to consider him over and over again in your mind, you got a little frustrated.</p>
<p>While there was the hand-caress at lunch, and you could have sworn you heard him call you beautiful the first day you met (though you weren’t entirely sure), if he really did want you, he had yet to make his move. All he seemed to do was stare at you, which was hard to decipher as him just studying you or him checking you out. You shook your head, confusing yourself even further the more you thought. Feitan's proposal was starting to sound more and more alluring. <em>At least he's being upfront about his attraction</em>. You felt some guilt about Chrollo arise at this thought, but you shoved it back. You rifled through your closet for something nice to wear, as you were going to meet up with Feitan tonight.</p>
<p>....</p>
<p>By the time seven o'clock rolled around, you were a bundle of nerves. You were so anxious you couldn't even eat your dinner, and you hadn't even left your room since talking to Shizuku, for fear of running into anyone. Walking across the way to your dresser, you took your perfume bottle and spritzed some on your neck, and rubbed some on your wrists.</p>
<p><em>What am I doing?</em> You smoothed your hair in the mirror. <em>What am I doing? </em> You left the room, shutting the door quietly behind you. <em>What am I doing?</em></p>
<p>You skirt swished against your thighs as you kept a brisk pace down the hall, as if you were trying to outrun your own thoughts. Looking up ahead, you saw a man's silhouette turn the corner and walk in your direction. The lighting was poor, and it was dark out, so it was nearly impossible to see who it was. He was too tall to be Feitan, so you simply kept your head down and sped up, praying it wasn’t Phinks, or god forbid, Hisoka. You sensed you were just about to pass the figure until you heard his voice.</p>
<p>"You look nice."</p>
<p>Your heart seized up as you stopped in your tracks. You looked up, to see that the mystery silhouette was none other than Chrollo. He smiled. "Where are you off to?"</p>
<p>Words escaped you for a moment.</p>
<p>"I-Uh-" You choked out, still unable to speak. He laughed, "That's alright, you don’t have to tell me. Have fun." He gave you a polite nod, turning and continuing down the hall, the vision of his white fur trim and golden cross on his jacket blurring with your newly-formed tears. You stood there, mouth slightly open, and your throat burning. You gritted your teeth and squeezed your eyes shut, feeling the drops slide down your cheeks. <em>Dammit</em>.</p>
<p>The way he looked at you, when he asked you where you were going, there was almost a hint of tension in his voice. Did he know you were going out to be with some guy? After all, he could probably smell your perfume, and he surely noticed your flirty clothes. Unless of course, you were imagining it. At this point, it was all you could do not to hole up back in your room and lament your situation until daylight. You furiously swiped away your tears. Forcing yourself to continue on your way, you quickly resumed your pace around the corridor, leading to the back entrance.</p>
<p>Feitan stood with his back to you, so that the first thing you saw upon entering was the large skull and crossbones pattern on the back of his coat. One hand was in his pocket, while the other held a small bouquet of roses. He turned to look at you as you approached, his figure barely visible, were it not for the illumination from the moonlight. You approached to stand beside him, meeting his gaze, then flicking your eyes down to the roses. You were grateful for the darkness that hid your blush.</p>
<p>"Are those for me?" You asked demurely, feeling heart thud with anticipation.</p>
<p>"Of course, sweet girl." He replied. His scarf was lowered, you noticed. <em>Is he planning on kissing me?</em>  You asked yourself, a feeling of guilt-ridden excitement at the thought.</p>
<p>"That's very kind." You stated, your desire for him growing by the minute. "Is nothing." He responded, reaching for one of your hands. You let him take it, as he placed the bouquet in your palm. His fingers closed around yours as you clutched the wrappings.</p>
<p>"I think I like you." It was only a murmur, as if you weren’t entirely sure if you believed it yourself, but you could not hold back. Feitan smiled, his eyes narrowing. <em>He has such a charming smile, it's a shame it's hidden.</em> You thought to yourself. Before you even really knew what you were doing, you leaned in to kiss Feitan. At this point, you didn’t care about the bet. You didn’t care if he was only doing this so he could "win", none of it mattered to you. He wanted you regardless, and that was all you cared about in this moment.</p>
<p>The kiss you shared was soft, gentle, at first, then deepened only slightly. You had no idea why, but for some reason, it reminded you of poison. Maybe it was because of all the motifs he wore, or his personality. Mainly it was because you did know, deep down, it would be bad for you. You broke away to search his face for something, anything. You could tell he was fighting a big grin. You had no idea what to say, no idea what to do.</p>
<p>After the moment had ended, all your doubts and shame, all your thoughts of Chrollo came rushing back. Your eyebrows knitted together, you clutched the bouquet tighter. Feitan seemed confused at your reaction.</p>
<p>"Something is wrong?" He asked quietly. "No, I-" You started, your words getting caught in your throat. "I- it's not you, it's me." You backed away slowly, his look of confusion lingering. "I'm sorry." You said, turning and now running full speed blindly back the way you came, through the corridors, hurrying your way into your room and shutting the door behind you, slamming your fist against it in rage.</p>
<p>Somewhere along the way, you had dropped the roses.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Clash of the Spider Legs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a warning, there is a little gore in this</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naturally, you barely got a wink of sleep that night. You already felt you wouldn’t be able to perform at peak capacity with Machi. You only hoped you didn’t completely screw up, so her bad feelings about you wouldn’t be confirmed.</p>
<p>Thinking about last night tore you up. It was completely unfair to Feitan, you thought, but you were also at your wit's end with the wager, Hisoka, and Chrollo. You sighed. There would be no way to explain any of this to Machi.</p>
<p>Making your way down the corridor, you at least made sure to be right on time to meet up with her, checking your phone to see it was 8:55. She was already waiting for you, arms crossed and eyes closed, leaning up against a pillar. She opened her eyes as you approached, offering a somewhat friendly, probably neutral expression. As she studied you, her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you ok? You look like you didn’t get much sleep." She asked, caution in her voice. <em>It was really that noticeable, huh?</em></p>
<p>"Yeah, I'm alright." You replied, wanting to give her an explanation, but afraid to express any of your thoughts out loud. She turned and shrugged, motioning for you to follow. She led you to a sleek red coupe that stood idling next to the sidewalk out front. "Get in," She commanded, "I'm taking us near the spot." You obeyed, settling in the seat as she shifted the car into drive.</p>
<p>The engine purred as you flew down a stretch of highway. An awkward silence had settled around the two of you, and yet you noticed a strange look on Machi's face as you snuck a glance. "So," She suddenly began, her voice alien in the quiet space. "I don't really know if this is why you seem…uncomfortable, but Shizuku told me about a certain wager between Phinks, Feitan, and Hisoka. Apparently, it had to do with who could get you first." You said nothing in return, only scoffing playfully, pretending to be none the wiser. She had a funny little smile on her face now, as though she thought the whole thing was only amusing.</p>
<p> "Yeah, pretty stupid, right? That's what I told Shizuku. But I heard…" She raised her eyebrows at you now, her face breaking into a sly smile, "Feitan won." You dug your nails into your skin. "Yeah, apparently you kissed him last night. That’s what he's been telling everyone anyways. Then Phinks accused him of lying and they almost straight up fought…" She continued talking, but you could not hear her after that. You couldn’t concentrate on anything she was saying, too paralyzed in your own fear. <em>He told everyone?</em> But then you realized, of course he would. It was a wager, after all. You only prayed no one told Chrollo. You recalled running into him in the hallway, when you looked like you were going on a date. What with him being such a smart man, you knew he would probably put two and two together.</p>
<p>At some point, she had stopped talking, and was now turning to stare at you expectantly, stopped at a red light.</p>
<p>"Well, yeah, I did kiss him." Your own voice sounded far away. "Ah. The plot thickens." She replied, narrowing her eyes.</p>
<p>"But I mean, it was kind of a heat of the moment thing. I-I don't really think I like him, I mean, I do, but not that seriously."</p>
<p>She hummed. "Oh, ok. That's cool. I get it."</p>
<p>You nodded and bit your lip nervously.</p>
<p>"You wanna know the funniest part about this whole bet thing though?" She asked, a smirk on her face. "I don't think Chrollo knows." You raised your eyebrows, feeling your throat go dry. She laughed, "Yeah, right?! He probably wouldn't show it, but I bet he'd be so pissed if he found out. I think he likes you."</p>
<p>"Really?" You managed to say, eagerly hoping this was one of Machi's famously correct hunches.</p>
<p>"Well, I <em>think</em> so. It's just a hunch. I've never seen him so weirdly passionate about a recruit before. Plus, I mean, duh, you're really cute." Your face turned bright red as you turned away to stare at the car door well.</p>
<p>A long beat of silence passed between the two of you. You began to wonder, from Machi's perspective, what the purpose of telling you all this would serve, right before a mission. It almost seemed like she was trying to put you even more on edge, just to see if you could perform well under pressure. You thought on this for a moment, before deciding she was justified in her words. A test of sorts, like this, might be seen as unnecessarily cruel in other organizations, but could easily be seen as respectable in the Spider.</p>
<p>She stopped the car around the bend of a decrepit building, one that didn’t look too different from the Troupe hideout. She put her finger to her lips as the two of you drew out your auras, silencing yourselves and leaving the car to hide against the side of the building. "Our target is a bit more dangerous this time." She whispered, "We're looking for a-" Before she could finish her sentence, a terrible feeling snuck into you, a feeling with origins you couldn’t place. Without thinking, you grabbed her shoulder and pulled her down, as an array of bullets from behind flew where she would have been standing. The two of you rushed into the building and concealed yourselves in a corner of rubble. Even in the dark, you could feel Machi's eyes boring into you. "What the hell was that?" She hissed, "How did you-I couldn’t even sense them, I-" She stopped in a moment of realization. "Shit. Paku was right then, huh."</p>
<p>You pressed your palms into the dirty floor, pride brewing within you. Even under the pressures you'd faced, you had managed to convince Machi of your worth, using nothing but your extraordinary situational awareness. The two of you were breathing heavily, you said nothing in response to her, you couldn’t let her know you'd overheard her conversation with Pakunoda.</p>
<p>"I owe you an apology." She explained in a hushed voice. She paused as the gunfire stopped. "I wasn’t so sure about you when you first came. I kind of thought Chrollo only brought you back 'cause you were gorgeous, and just good enough with nen. I didn’t think you were capable of…that." </p>
<p>"It's ok." You offered. "I understand." She smiled in the dim light.</p>
<p>The two of you jerked your heads around as you heard men's voices approaching. Machi motioned for you to stay as she moved positions, stalking around the rubble pile. Quicker than a flash of light, you saw her immediately dispose of the visibly armed attackers using her nen threads, decapitating them with ease. Your stomach dropped as you heard their heads thump to the ground.</p>
<p>She walked over to where you were still crouching and offered you a hand. "Strange." She spoke at a normal volume now. "I didn’t think we'd have company." You took her hand and stood up, padding through growing puddles of blood as the two of you crossed the vast space.</p>
<p>She suddenly stopped at one of the bodies, and bent down to pick up a blood-soaked dog tag, holding it up for you to see. It was all silver, save for a fleck of gold in the middle. "Incredible." She said, her eyes going wide as she read its inscription. "That's our ticket." A broad smile broke across her face as she reached out to pat your shoulder. She noticed your look of confusion.</p>
<p>"Our target," She began to explain, "Was a crime lord in high demand. Evidently, he was hidden among these grunts, but I wouldn’t have actually known that unless you did what you did." You blushed.</p>
<p>"Chrollo sent us out here today because he knew he would be most vulnerable when he was being relocated. They probably weren’t expecting to run across us, but if they were," She motioned to the guns, "That was probably a precaution." She stroked her chin absentmindedly. "The dog tag has an alias on it that's consistent with our target. It's not his real name, of course, but it's been linked by a lot of underground sources to his identity." She paused. "You saved my life."</p>
<p>She held out the bloody dog tag as you hesitantly opened your hand. She placed it in your palm, tucking your fingers around it. "Take that to Chrollo." She said with a smirk. "He'll be pleased."</p>
<p>Just then, a macabre idea crossed your mind. An idea born from a place of wanting to please Chrollo even further. You looked down at the head of the crime boss, fighting back the urge to vomit. "You said he was a wanted man?" You asked. "Yes." Machi replied. You looked back up at her and pointed at the head. "Maybe we should bring that back to Chrollo as well. If he really is so wanted, someone might want to buy that for a hefty price. Someone he wronged."</p>
<p>Machi was staring at you with an expression of pure understanding. "I like the way you think." She replied, nodding, with a smile breaking across her face. She removed a shirt of one of the grunts and wrapped the head inside, making a sort of makeshift sack. She motioned for you to follow her as the pair of you headed out of the building and made your way back to the car.</p>
<p>The two of you held a contemplative silence on the drive back to base. You looked down at the dog tag, your trembling hands stained with oxidized blood. You could only imagine what Chrollo would think of you now. After the mission with Pakunoda, it was evident he had confidence in you, but after this, after you had essentially saved Machi's life and brought back the head of a wanted crime boss, there was no telling how he would react.</p>
<p>Machi pulled in to the sidewalk outside of the hideout, grabbing the blood-soaked sack from the backseat floor, laughing as she saw you cringe. "It was your idea!" She retorted. Just before you were about to walk in, her cell phone rang. She checked who was calling and motioned for you to stop, holding it up to her ear. "Hi. Yes. Yes. Ok. Yes, she's with me now." She looked to you. You gripped the dog tag tightly, feeling the ball chain press into your palm. "Ok, will do. I'll let her know." She ended the call and put the phone back into her pocket. "That was Chrollo."</p>
<p>Your heart skipped a beat.</p>
<p>"He says he has the rest of your jenny from the mission with Paku. You can collect it from him, just meet up with him outside his room when he gets back. He says he's about to pull up really soon." You nodded and turned, following her inside to the main foyer. Suddenly, she tensed up, her vision fixed on something just ahead. You followed her gaze to see Hisoka and Phinks, auras drawn, looking as though they were about to fight. Feitan stood beside them, in his left hand, the roses you'd dropped in the hallway.</p>
<p>"Hey!" Machi yelled, rushing towards the scene. Her actions sent a jerk through your body, which had frozen up. You regained your senses and followed her, avoiding eye contact with any of the men and trying not to succumb to your fear. "No infighting!" She barked, coming to stop just in front of them. Phinks growled, glaring at Hisoka. A moment passed before their auras had a noticeably quieter flare, then they fizzled out. You could feel Feitan's gaze on you the whole time. You could not meet it.</p>
<p>"It's not my fault." Phinks spat out, turning quickly to face Machi. "This asshole clown is claiming he won the bet." Hisoka gave a dry laugh.</p>
<p>"It is not a mere claim. It is the truth." He replied, turning to look at you. "I am correct, aren’t I, little flower?" He asked in a seductive voice.</p>
<p>You felt Machi turn to look at you as well. Words seemed impossible for you to form. Now, you realized, <em>everyone</em> assumed you knew about the bet.</p>
<p>"I kissed Feitan first." You replied, looking away from Hisoka's inquisitory gaze, feeling your face glow red. Hisoka seemed annoyed at this. "So I was told," He responded shortly, "But it was me who you first approached. Me who you first caressed."</p>
<p>You would have scarcely called what you did to Hisoka a caress, and he was technically the one who approached you, but you figured these men were in high emotions. There was no way for you to properly express your outrage at being the subject of this wager right now anyway. Phinks moved like he was about to strike Hisoka, until you heard footsteps approaching.</p>
<p>The lot of you turned to see Chrollo striding in, the white fur on his collar blowing back with the speed of his walk. You felt a sinking feeling of dread in your stomach, as you noticed a wicked rage in his stormy gray eyes. The rest of his face though, was perfectly calm, as always.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Relief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chrollo to the rescue!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chrollo stopped short in front of you all. You swallowed thickly and fought to stay still and keep your head up, wanting nothing more than to look at the ground or run away. The air felt heavy.</p>
<p>"Imagine my surprise," His words cut sharply through the dead silence. "Coming back after a life-threating excursion, to witness infighting among my members. Infighting which I can safely assume is on the topic of our latest recruit." There was nothing in the intonation of Chrollo's voice that suggested anger, but everyone could sense the quiet rage seething in Chrollo, reflected in the pits of his eyes, which now looked almost black.</p>
<p>Your heart was beating so hard you could have sworn it was audible, and yet, you stood completely frozen. You saw Phinks grit his teeth, muscles flexed. Feitan was peering up at Chrollo with a tense expression, flowers bending in his hand. Hisoka merely narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms and leaning back on his heels. A smile had formed on his lips, which sent even more fear into you. <em>How can he possibly be smiling at a time like this?</em> Chrollo noticed his smile, and you became acutely aware of the energy the boss was exuding, like he was about to murder someone.</p>
<p> "Yes," Chrollo continued, "I have recently been made aware of this little wager." You looked at Machi quickly. She raised her eyebrows at you for a fraction of a second before looking back to Chrollo. <em>Shit</em>. He knew<em>.</em> Machi was right in assuming he would be furious, but then, was she right about him liking you as well? Your hopes were confirmed in the next choice of words by Hisoka.</p>
<p>"My, my, Chrollo. Would you like a shot as well? You <em>really</em> think you're capable of winning over this young lady?" He gave a patronizing laugh. Chrollo was silent and still, only flicking his eyes over to meet Hisoka's. You avoided looking at him, for fear that looking at him while he gazed at Hisoka so intensely, so coldly, would somehow strike you dead.</p>
<p>"Careful, Hisoka, insulting my pride so openly is grounds for a fight." He warned, and it seemed to you that he was putting every ounce of energy into remaining collected.</p>
<p>"Insulting your pride? <em>Boss?</em>" His voice almost sounded mocking. "Forgive me if I come across as insulting, I was merely asking a question." Hisoka was no fool. You could tell he was trying to goad Chrollo into a brawl, but it was also evident that a fight was secretly not what Chrollo wanted.</p>
<p>Chrollo straightened himself, narrowing his dark eyes at Hisoka. "I answer your question then, with this. I believe the girl would rather be seduced by one who appreciates her abilities, and by extension, her presence, than by those who see her as something only to be conquered."</p>
<p> You didn’t know whether to be incredibly afraid of everything that was happening, or incredibly overjoyed at his reciprocation of your attraction.</p>
<p>Feitan looked at you for a second, and moved his hand as if to extend the roses to you. "I appreciate-"</p>
<p>"Do not give those to her." Chrollo interrupted, the ghost of a furrow on his brow. He turned his head to address all of the men. "You are all capable warriors, but you do not appreciate anything more than her physical appearance. I care not for what defense you can provide; the evidence is clear in the mere fact that you've engaged in this idiotic bet." Feitan lowered his hand, squeezing the stems in his hand. He looked to a point passed you, glaring at nothing. Phinks said nothing, looking at a corner of the ground with a clenched jaw. Hisoka was the only one who dared to blatantly stare at Chrollo, the funny smile still present on his face. Chrollo met his smile with a stern gaze.</p>
<p>"You are dismissed." He announced plainly.</p>
<p>While he'd been staring directly at Hisoka, the other men knew his command applied to them too. They filed out of the foyer, Phinks and Feitan casting a defeated glance your way, Hisoka only smirking at you.</p>
<p> Chrollo ran a hand over his slick backed hair and sighed, closing his eyes. You looked at Machi, eyes wide. She only shook her head in return, shrugging. When Chrollo opened his eyes again to look at you, it was if the rage was never there.</p>
<p>"My sincerest apologies. They forget themselves. I think they must have gotten too excited at the prospect of such a pretty little thing joining our ranks." He said, winking at you with that last sentiment. You blushed at Chrollo's words, a polite smile forming on the edges of your lips. "The fault is mine." He continued, "I saw this coming from the first day I introduced you. If only I had been around you more…Ah, well. What's done is done. You shouldn’t have any more trouble, you can be certain of that." He reassured you, his eyes wandering to the bloody sack Machi was still holding.</p>
<p>"What gift have you brought back for me?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"It's the head of our target." She smiled slyly, pointing at you. "It was her idea, she said we could make a nice profit if we sold it to someone he wronged."</p>
<p>"Really?" Chrollo asked with a smile, shifting his gaze back to you. He chuckled. "Excellent." His eyes seemed to be staring into your very soul. Their intensity sent goosebumps across your skin and a strong feeling of desire coursing through your entire body.</p>
<p>"Machi, take it to Shalnark. He would know the most desirable contacts for such an item. He hasn’t gone out yet, he should be around here somewhere." Chrollo commanded.</p>
<p>You extended the dog tag to him, its bloody metal chain still hanging in your hands. "Another gift." You said with a growing smile.</p>
<p>He took it from you holding it up to study it, before glancing to Machi and tossing it to her. "No doubt we'll be able to make a profit from that as well." He told her, then turned to you. "You've shown some great resilience these past few days, you know." He murmured, inching closer to you. You opened your mouth to thank him for the praise, just as Machi interjected. "You know, that's not all, she saved my life today too. Yeah, we were about to be shot at and she just…sensed it. I mean, I didn’t even know. She just pulled me down right before it happened."</p>
<p>Chrollo smiled at her words, shaking his head at you. "You never cease to amaze, do you?" He murmured, reaching out to move a piece of hair that fell by your face.</p>
<p>Machi suddenly seemed to remember her orders, turning and speeding away to go find Shalnark.</p>
<p>You looked around the foyer, shyly trying to avoid Chrollo’s powerful gaze.</p>
<p>“Come.” He announced, placing a hand on your back. “I have your share of jenny from your excursion with Pakunoda.” </p>
<p>As you walked side by side with Chrollo back to his room, you finally felt secure for the first time in days. But then, you remembered your attraction to Feitan and Hisoka. Guilt came creeping back, seeping into you as he opened his bedroom door. It was dark, the curtains blocked most sunlight, and the only illumination was offered by the three tall, dripping wax candles. He motioned to the money on the dresser, “It’s right here.”</p>
<p>You suddenly became aware of the extremely close proximity between the two of you. He had moved closer to you slowly, so the two of you were practically pressed together. You saw him turn his head down to yours, reaching for your chin with his thumb and forefinger. Against your own will, you felt hot tears slide down your cheeks. You turned your head down out of his grip to stare at the floor, the top of your head brushing his chest.</p>
<p><em>“What is this?"</em> His voice was a silken caress, yet held more emotional depth than anything you’d heard him say before. He held his forefinger out to your eyes, collecting a tear and holding it up for you to see.</p>
<p>“Your tears had better not be for me.”</p>
<p>You pursed your trembling lips.</p>
<p>“They are far too valuable to be wasted on me.” He mused.</p>
<p>You sighed, squeezing your eyes shut, letting more tears fall out. “I kissed Feitan... and I almost kissed Hisoka, but, I didn’t. You confessed, your voice small and empty, bracing for his rage. </p>
<p>He only chuckled. “None of this is your fault.” He sighed, “My men are very intelligent. They were aware you were vulnerable, insecure. Knowing this, they took advantage.” He paused. “It is not a shame to me that you’ve shared your pretty lips with Feitan. However, I am pleased to hear you’ve denied them to that disgusting clown.” You smiled at his quip.</p>
<p>He brushed your tears out of your eyes with a thumb, leaning in to kiss you. You closed your eyes and met his lips eagerly, smiling at first, then furrowing your brow and intensifying the kiss. You broke away, breathless, afraid you would pass out from the sudden intensity of emotion. He watched you, as you were breathing rapidly, as your chest heaved and you placed a hand on his chest. He took it, kissing the back of it and pressing you closer to his body with his other hand on your lower back.</p>
<p>He released your hand, and stroked the side of your face, brushing his fingertips from the side of your neck down to your belly, “But tell me,” He murmured in your ear. You tried to still your shaky breathing. His fingers traveled under the waistband of your pants, as his pointer and index finger touched the crest of your entrance.</p>
<p>“You’ve been saving <em>this</em> for me, haven’t you?” He asked, his voice taking on a dark quality, his lips pressed into the shell of your ear.</p>
<p>Words were beyond you at this point, you only nodded. You felt him smile. “Good.”</p>
<p>He kissed the side of your neck, pressing his tongue against the skin and sucking at the flesh, drawing quiet, breathy moans out from you. His hands moved to envelope your waist, coming to rest at your ass and lifting you up at the thighs. You gasped in surprise as he lifted you in his arms and moved over to the bed to put you down. You sat up only to remove your own clothing in a flash, not concerned with giving him a show. He paused to take in the sight of your naked form, pure lust clouding up his grey eyes.  He shed his own clothing even quicker than you had, and he was on you again, planting a trail of kisses from your neck down to your breast. He massaged one with his hand while he began rolling his tongue over the other, coaxing your nipple into a bud, lighting up a trail of your nerves that led down to your stomach, your core. You stifled a moan, as he raised his head to speak. You noticed a piece of his hair had come un-slicked.</p>
<p>"Don't be shy. I want you to be able to express yourself. The louder, the better." His collected voice had an audible strain on it now, as if he was coming undone just from seeing you like this.</p>
<p>You bit you lip and tilted your head back into the pillow as he continued. His hand moved from your breast down to your sex, teasing your folds with his fingers. He found your clit, rubbing it in agonizingly pleasurable circles. He then snuck two fingers in, curling and teasing at your g-spot. You could not stifle your moans now, as you practically cried from the sensation of it all. You came hard and fast from his fingers alone, much to your own embarrassment. Chrollo hummed, rising back up to meet you, gripping both of your wrists with one hand as he sunk his lips down onto yours once again. He leaned back to grab his impressive erection, poisoning it directly in front of your entrance.</p>
<p>He laughed lightly, noticing how you stared at it with an expression of intense hunger. "Did you want this from the moment you saw me?" He inquired, rubbing the tip on your folds, intentionally brushing your clit.</p>
<p>"Yes, ye-yes," You choked out, pleading, your heart racing and your lungs rapidly taking in air.</p>
<p>"Excellent," He replied, slipping into you slowly, grunting upon his entrance. "Because I wanted to take you the moment I laid eyes on you." He leaned in to speak directly into your ear, his lean, muscular body propped above you by his powerful arms.</p>
<p>He drove his length into you slowly, too slow, just to make you feel all of him. You squeezed your eyes shut, not wanting to beg, not wanting to seem more desperate than you already were. Thankfully, he began to quicken up his pace, using the weight of his body to press deeper into you, adding more leverage to his strokes. He was bottoming out into you and building up a slightly quicker rhythm, grabbing your legs and placing them on his shoulders. You cried out as your pleasure built, biting your lip to the point of bleeding, struggling to hold out for longer just to feel more of him.</p>
<p>He was grunting with every stroke. It was so attractive to see him like this, to see the famously controlled Chrollo breathing raggedly, hair messed up, sweat beading and trickling down his tattooed forehead. The sight of that was enough for you, you allowed yourself to feel all of what was happening, your ecstasy building to its peak and breaking in a white-hot flash. Chrollo was finished with only a few more arrhythmic, shallow thrusts, pulling out to spill his seed on your inner thighs.</p>
<p>It was all over soon, too soon. You had the feeling the both of you were so desperate for one another there was no way you would've lasted any longer than a few minutes, anyway. Tears of pleasure, of fulfilled desire, leaked out of the corners of your eyes, trickling into your hair. You watched Chrollo's taut abdomen slow its heaving flexes, his breathing returning to a more even pace.</p>
<p>He collapsed beside you, leaning over to kiss at the tear tracks on your face. "I have to go."</p>
<p>Hearing this from him made you want to full-out cry.</p>
<p>"I want to see you later, however." He murmured into your ear, much to your immediate relief. "I want to take you out, away from here. Away from these ravenous wolves." He stroked your hair. "You're mine, now. They'll see it soon enough."</p>
<p>You closed your eyes for a moment, drinking in his words like they were sweet nectar, feeling the bed dip and rise with the sudden removal of his body weight. When you opened your eyes, he was gone.</p>
<p>You rose, clutching the silken black bedsheets to your body to study the jenny on the dresser. You moved towards the pile of your clothing on the floor, getting dressed, feeling Chrollo's sticky essence, coated on your thighs, as you moved. The sensation alone was almost enough to get you excited again. You blushed, folding the sheet and putting it back on the bed, reaching for the sizeable stack of jenny, gripping it in your hand as you cast a sweeping last glance around the room. Your eyes wandered to the flickering candles, which you decided to blow out, just to be safe.</p>
<p>As you left, you shut the door behind you delicately, letting a big smile break across your face as you made your way back to your room. Maybe you would buy something nice with the money. You deserved it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is where I wanted to end it. I might continue it if I get some more ideas. It grew on me as I wrote, it was kinda fun. Thanks for reading!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Your thighs were staring to stick together as you walked down the hall. As fun as you thought it might be to walk around with essence of Chrollo on you all day, you decided to take a bath to wash it off. Upon reaching your bedroom, you threw the money on your bed and made for the bathroom, quickly shedding your clothes and drawing a bath.</p><p>Enveloped by warm water, you closed your eyes and tilted your head back to rest on the tub wall. The fragrance of the water floated up to meet you, pulling you into a relaxed haze. Your hands traveled down your stomach, down to your thighs, rubbing them clean. Thinking of Chrollo, your furrowed your brow. You sincerely hoped he actually would take you out tonight. Being around Phinks, Feitan, and Hisoka would probably feel more even awkward, considering what just happened.  After allowing yourself some good long moments of tranquility, you got out of the tub and changed into clean clothes. Tucking the money away into your wallet, you headed out with the intention to get yourself something pretty, maybe some jewelry you could wear around Chrollo.</p><p>You turned into the foyer, and immediately became aware of two pairs of eyes on you. You already had an idea of who they belonged to, naturally. Tilting your head slightly, you caught the gaze of Phinks and Feitan, who were smirking at you, almost condescendingly. You turned your head away, suddenly overly self-conscious.</p><p><em>Did they know?</em> You wondered if they could smell it on you, if they could smell what Chrollo did. That would be impossible, you told yourself. You had just taken a bath. <em>Besides, even if they could smell it, it would keep them away. Chrollo claimed me.</em> You joked to yourself, trying to keep your worries small and forget about Phinks and Feitan. Holding your head up and striding away into the outside street, you hailed a cab to take you into the central city.</p><p>The square was packed, you watched people scurry along the streets with their heads down, rushing off to work or home or wherever. It made you smile, remembering how you used to be before Chrollo found you, how you used to speed-walk through the streets, keeping your head down and trying to outpace your own sadness.</p><p>You meandered down the wealthier blocks, almost in disbelief that this was your reality. Your feet led you into one of the more extravagant jewelry shops on the corner, one that you'd definitely heard of before, but you'd never dreamt of stepping into. Your eyes widened at the glamorous displays, the shining clear diamonds, gems, and crystals reflecting lights from the massive chandelier that hung from above.</p><p>"Can I help you, ma'am?" A man's voice took you out of your astonishment, your face flushing as you realized you had to close your mouth after it had been hanging open. A sharply dressed salesman stood in front of you, eyebrows raised slightly as he took you in. "I'm just looking around, thanks!" You chirped, clenching your hands together awkwardly.</p><p>"Right, well, please let me know if you need anything." He replied, giving you a slight bow and turning on his heels. You made a note to be less obviously amazed by everything as you turned back to look into a display case.</p><p>Feeling your heart practically stop in your chest, you felt yourself be hypnotized by this necklace; a brilliant, shining black diamond elegantly suspended by the prettiest, delicate glittering silver chain. You had to assume it was inlayed with white diamonds. <em>Chrollo would love this</em>. You thought to yourself, further incentivizing yourself to buy it. <em>He would want me to buy it, and I deserve to buy myself something nice</em>. At this point, your decision was made.</p><p>You whipped your head around in the direction you'd last seen the salesman. Being the only person in the store, he took notice of you actions and headed over. "I'd like to purchase this, please." You stated, attempting to sound at least a little sophisticated. He nodded and took you over to the register. He informed you of the price, and you realized that only a couple of weeks ago you would have fainted at hearing it.</p><p>"Now, we do offer a layaway-" He began.</p><p>"That won't be necessary," You cut in, trying your best not to smile. "I can pay in cash." You reached for your wallet and thumbed out a sizeable chunk of your jenny. Excitement ran through you as you watched your necklace being neatly bagged up and handed across the counter to you. Somehow, you had managed to say thank you to the sales clerk, and somehow you were able to walk outside and hail a cab back to the streets by the hideout. The whole time, you felt as though you were living a dream.</p><p>Pakunoda was hanging out in the foyer when you returned, and took notice of the jewelry store's signature packaging. "Wow, look at you." She called out to you, a friendly smile on her face and a cigarette in her hand as she waved at you. You turned and headed over towards her, taking that as an invitation. She patted the rubble next to her on which she was perched, and you sat down, clenching the handle of the bag in your trembling fingers. She took notice and laughed.</p><p>"Funny. You're new to this and you act like it, but you're a natural. I know I keep repeating myself, but it's true."</p><p>"Pshh," You replied, "I'm ok, but I guess I just haven’t really been around this much money before."</p><p>She nodded and looked off to some unknown point across the way, taking a drag from her cigarette. "I know the feeling."</p><p>You were silent, remembering what Chrollo had said about the Spiders, how they had all come from nothing and nowhere. She turned back towards you, and you noticed a sadness in her eyes you hadn’t seen before. You hoped you hadn’t brought back any painful memories. She gave a gentle smile though, and leaned over to peek in the bag.</p><p>"So, what'd you get?" She asked, seemingly trying to lighten the mood. You reached in and tilted open the lid of the black velvet box that held your necklace. She whistled, widening her eyes at the glittering diamond catching the dim light of the foyer. "That must've been a fortune."</p><p>You shrugged in response, fighting a grin. She took notice and reached over to ruffle your hair, the pair of you laughing at your feigned humility. Your laughter died and you fell into a beat of silence.</p><p>"Do you think Chrollo will like it?" You blurted out.</p><p>She smiled at you in a knowing way. "I don’t see why not, he seems to like dark colors." You nodded and looked back down at the necklace.</p><p>"Do you want him to?" She asked, with a little mischief in her voice.</p><p> "I mean, yeah I guess." You replied, trying to be careful with your choice of words. Of course, you assumed no one knew about you and Chrollo being intimate. "I really admire him." You continued, gripping the bottom of the box with your nails.</p><p>"Interesting choice of words." She remarked, a teasing glint in her eye, visible even through her puff of smoke.</p><p>You rolled your eyes. "I mean yes, he's admirable. That's not such a weird thing to say about him, right?"</p><p>She smirked. "No, I suppose not."</p><p>You could tell she was teasing you, but you couldn’t help but get a little nervous. You wondered if the others would be able to tell if you and Chrollo got to be a serious thing. You wondered if it would make them dislike you, or if they would even care.</p><p>You looked back down at your necklace, opening and closing the lid absentmindedly. A pair of approaching footsteps made you snap it shut, quickly putting it back in the bag defensively. "Hey!" Shalnark shouted, approaching with Machi. You tried to almost hide the bag, not wanting to draw attention to it. This was all in vain, however, because Shalnark seemed to notice. "Ooh, what's in there?" He asked, peering in when the pair of them had reached you two.</p><p>"Just a little something I bought for myself." You replied politely. Thankfully, Pakunoda didn’t say anything.</p><p>He moved on fast, "Nice job, by the way, with the guy's head and the dog tag. We got quite a few bids." He and Machi shared a glance, and he studied you with a look of appreciation. You smiled in response, ducking your head a little. The three of them began discussing some kind of mission, with you dipping in and out of listening. You decided your time would be best spent trying to figure out what to pair the necklace with, so you bid them goodbye and started back towards your bedroom.</p><p>You turned the events of the day over and over in your head, grateful that even though you'd seen Phinks and Feitan, you had yet to run into Hisoka. By now, you still had yet to see Chrollo, and evening would be approaching in a few hours. He seemed to be the kind of man to keep his promises, at least to you, so you decided to keep your plans free for the night.</p><p> </p><p>Time flew by as you changed, trying to find an outfit you actually liked wearing with that necklace. Nothing you owned was really fancy enough to pair perfectly with it, which made you take another mental note to go shopping, but you settled on a nice flattering shorter skirt and matching top. Feeling confident in your choice, you collected your things in your bag and stepped outside, turning around and making sure the draft from the corridor wouldn’t flip up your skirt.</p><p>"You look lovely."</p><p>You turned in the direction of Chrollo's voice, pleasantly surprised to see him heading towards you from across the way. He was wearing a suit and tie this time, his cross tattoo hidden by bandages, and his turquoise earrings just peeking out from his inky black hair. You began to feel self-conscious again as he stopped in front of you, taking your hand and placing it to his lips.</p><p>"Where have you been?" You asked, trying to hide the edge of desperation in your voice. As soon as you asked it, you instantly regretted it. It wasn't your place to know where he'd been. He didn't seem to mind, however, only gazing at you with beautiful grey eyes and a softening expression on his face. </p><p>"I had some business to take care of. I wasn't lying about taking you out."</p><p>You swallowed, entranced by his eyes.</p><p>"I would not forget about you." He reached out to stroke your cheek. "How could I?" He asked softly, raising his eyebrows at you, attempting to convince you of his sincerity.</p><p>He reached down to take your hand in his own. "Come, I'm taking you somewhere I think you'll like." He winked at you, causing you to blush a little as you eagerly took his hand in your own. The two of you headed towards the back entrance, presumably to where Chrollo's car was parked.</p><p>Your bliss was short-lived, however. As if by the cruelty of fate, the magician Hisoka just happened to be walking past, and naturally, did not let you go unnoticed. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've been crazy busy lately but I felt inspired, so here it is. Can you tell I like shiny things?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>